If everything goes as planned, expansion of the two bridges over Bagmati and Dhobikhola rivers between Tinkune-Maitighar road stretch in the Capital will begin in the next seven months and will take two years to complete, said the Department of Roads.

The two bridges were considered major bottlenecks in bringing respite to traffic congestion on one of the Valley’s most busiest roads. The Tinkune-Maitighar road was expanded to eight lanes three years ago but the existing bridges are only two-lane wide, resulting in traffic jam.

“We are working on designs of the two bridges,” chief of DoR’s Planning and Design branch Umesh Jha said. “Construction will begin  as soon as the design is approved and will be completed in two years.”

The two bridges are being constructed under design-and-build model under which the same company prepares designs of the bridge and builds it. Pappu Construction is building the bridge over Bagmati river at Tinkune while JE Construction is building one over Dhobikhola river at Bijulibazaar. The total cost for the two projects is Rs330 million.

Both the bridges will be network arch bridges, ones that have platform suspended from the arch by hangers that cross each other at least twice. The bridge over Bagmati river will be 85 metres long whereas the one over Dhobikhola will be 50 metres in length. Both will be 12 metres wide with two-metre-wide footpaths on either sides.

This is the first time in Nepal that network arch bridges are being built. DoR officials regularly cite this fact for the delay in approval of designs despite the two contractors having already submitted designs.

“Department’s approval is the final process before construction which will take six to seven months,” Jha said. “After that, construction should go unhindered and be complete in two years.”