
The long-awaited Garaghat Bridge in Rukum West has been completed after an eight-year delay. This motorable bridge, part of the Rapti Highway, connects Musikot Municipality-1 and Bafikot Rural Municipality-10, over the Sani Bheri River.
Janardan Sharma, Deputy General Secretary of the CPN (Maoist Centre) and former Finance Minister, commissioned the bridge. During the event, Sharma emphasized the economic benefits that the bridge will bring to the region, including improved mobility and more local trade.
The project was originally expected to be completed within three years. It was delayed due to a modification in the bridge’s foundation design. Originally constructed with a ‘pile’ foundation, engineers afterward discovered it was unsuitable for the area, prompting a change to an ‘open’ foundation. According to Tejashwi Sharma, division chairman of the Road Division Office, the bridge cost Rs. 96 million.
Locals believe the new bridge would significantly boost mobility, particularly between Bafikot, Aathbiskot, and the district headquarters in Musikot, as well as access to Dolpa.
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Image source: https://ekantipur.com/en/pradesh-6/2024/09/22/garaghat-bridge-was-built-after-eight-years-16-29.html