In Ilam, a Bailey bridge will be built across the Mai River
Along the alternate route to the Mechi Highway, a vital road connecting the eastern hills, construction is under ongoing to build a Bailey Bridge across the Mai River in Ilam. The Golakharka-Rajduwali portion of the highway is still eroding despite large investments, thus the authorities are looking for a another route to bypass the landslide-prone area. A 12-kilometer dirt road linking Simalgolai to the Jogmai and Mai rivers as well as Tilkeni is being prepared as a backup route. A Bailey Bridge that was abandoned across the Puwa Khola is being disassembled, according to Pawan Bhattarai, chief of the Road Division Office. When it is erected over the Jogmai River, it would facilitate traffic during the rainy season.
According to him, the 39m Bailey bridge installation project will cost Rs. 19m. The remaining 11km will undergo widening, cutting and gravel works, targeted for completion by July.According to him, heavier trucks would take the fast-track path, while taxis, pickups, and other small vehicles will be able to utilize this portion of the road. The Kechana-Kanchenjunga fast track, which provides a speedier and direct route between Ilam and Jhapa, is also now under construction, Bhattarai added. Construction of a 50-metre Bailey Bridge over Puwa Khola is underway, with work progressing to ensure vehicle accessibility and repair the Maikhola-Rajduwali section.
