With floods washing away both the roads connecting the bridge over the Ratuwa River between Morang and Jhapa districts, vehicular movements have come to a complete halt along the Postal Highway.
Roads linking either mouth of the bridge have been sustaining damages by the flood since its construction six years ago, as proper dams were not built at either end of the bridge.
Last year, Gauriganj Rural Municipality of Jhapa and Ratuwamai Municipality of Morang had constructed roads spending their own budget to connect the bridge temporarily.
However, a flood caused by heavy rain for three days washed away the road on Friday.
The road on the western side of the bridge has been cut by the river and washed away.
“It is uncertain when the road will come into operation again. Unless, a proper concrete dam is constructed on the riverside, the bridge and road will always be at risk,” said Baburaja Shrestha, chairman of Gauriganj Rural Municipality.
Construction of the bridge was itself delayed by five years. When the construction of the bridge completed in 2015, a flood then had cut almost 500 metres area to the east of the bridge which left the bridge unused for a long time.
Source : TRN,
