KATHMANDU, July 5: A makeshift bridge built over the Bagmati River at Sinamangal collapsed after a flash flood swept away a big chunk of the bridge at around 4 a.m. on Sunday morning.
Heavy rainfall last week had swollen the river, which had already created doubts among the locals over the standing of the bridge this monsoon before Saturday night’s downpour finally swept away the bridge. [break]
Following the collapse of the makeshift bridge that links Sinamangal with Purano Baneshwar, the traffic flow has now diverted towards Ring Road creating stress on the already crowded highway. The flash flood also washed away a few landless squatters’ huts, while a cow was rescued early this morning after it fell into the river. No human casualty has been reported so far.
The makeshift bridge was constructed by dumping gravel over hume pipes after the main bridge gave way last year due to extraction of sand which eroded the foundation pillars of the bridge.
Locals complained that the makeshift bridge was narrow resulting in constant traffic jams and heavy vehicles passing through it, despite a prohibition, had added to the stress on the bridge. Business around the bridge has also witnessed adverse effects.
Talking to Republica a month earlier, Subodh Devkota, an engineer with the Department of Roads had said, “The tender has been forwarded and the project has entered the mobilization phase. Construction of the new bridge should begin soon.”
But though the formalities for the reconstruction were long over, it is uncertain when the construction work will actually begin as the monsoon is already here and the budget for the new fiscal is in limbo.
Begging anonymity, a 60-year-old local said, “It is actually good that the river has swept away the makeshift bridge. Maybe this will open the eyes of the government and authorities concerned will take action to get the concrete bridge working.”
arpan@myrepublica.com
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