The Postal Highway Directorate recently initiated works related to the design review of a bridge over Bagmati River in Durga Bhagawati Rural Municipality-5, Rautahat.

The construction work of the bridge has been left incomplete for the past six years after the river changed its course. The bridge on the Postal Highway connects Rautahat to Sarlahi district. Dipendra Pandey, chief of the Postal Highway Project in Parsa, said that the Abhiyan Consultant Kathmandu has taken the responsibility of the bridge design review. According to him, two engineers of the consultant have carried out design review of the bridge using a drone.

“The river has changed its course. We will evaluate the review report and direct the contractor company to start the construction work of the bridge from the upcoming fiscal year,” said Pandey.

Pappu Construction, notorious for carrying out substandard work and leaving most of its projects incomplete, had signed a contract of the bridge with the Road Department on June 14, 2010. The bridge was supposed to be completed within three years of signing of the contract.

The total length of the double-lane bridge will be 633 metres after completion. According to the officials of the Postal Highway, around 60 percent of the construction work has been completed so far.

Meanwhile, Pappu Constructions has transferred the contract to the Lumbini Builders Pvt Ltd Siddharthanagar after the company got blacklisted by the government.

“Though the firm belongs to Lumbini Builders, Pappu has refused to hand over the project,” said Pandey.