The bridge will help restore mass connectivity and economic activities in the eastern development region and directly benefit Sunsari, Saptari, and Udaypur districts.The bridge was built with financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as an alternative to the Koshi Barrage, which was badly damaged by the monsoon floods of 2008. The 261.3-meter long and 7.5-meter wide bridge cost US$ 11 million, according to ADB. The multilateral agency funded the bridge construction under Emergency Flood Damage Rehabilitation Project.
"The Koshi Bridge serves as an important strategic link in expanding transport connectivity within the country and beyond, including with India and Bangladesh," ADB's Country Director for Nepal Kenichi Yokoyama said, at the inauguration ceremony.
"It will reduce future risk from similar flood disasters, and is an application of the concept of build back better," he said, adding, "With mutual efforts by the government and ADB, the bridge was completed within the scheduled time of three and half years and the project is now successfully completed."
Similarly, Tulasi Sitaula, secretary of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport Management, said the bridge not only ensures that the East-West highway is passable year round, but it also directly benefits the people of Udaypur, Saptari, Khotang, Sunsari and Dhankuta districts. "The bridge will also open economic growth opportunities by connecting the two important business hubs of Dharan in the east, and Hetauda in the central region," he added.
The Emergency Flood Damage Rehabilitation Project was approved by ADB on April 21, 2009 with a grant of $25.6 million. The project has built key infrastructure like roads, bridges, and irrigation channels, and undertaken landslide stabilization work to avoid similar disasters in the future. Agriculture produce collection centers and marketplaces were also reconstructed.
The project has restored vital lifelines for more than 300,000 people seriously affected by the 2008 floods in Kailali, Kanchanpur, and Sunsari districts. The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport executed the project and the Department of Roads implemented the bridge sub-project.
ADB is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration. Established in 1966, it is owned by 67 members. In 2014, ADB assistance totaled $22.9 billion, including co-financing of $9.2 billion.
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