Nawalparasi. Two more overhead canopy bridges will be constructed in the jungle of Narayanghat-Butwal road section along the East-West Highway.

Preparations are underway to construct two overhead canopy bridges in the forest between Kawasoti and Lakaha, and the forest between Chormara and Arunkhola of this section, which has been expanded into four lanes as per the Asian Highway standards. According to Engineer Shiva Khanal, information officer of the eastern section of the Narayanghat-Butwal Road Expansion Project, the overhead canopy bridge is being constructed to cut the road for monkeys due to the increasing number of accidents on the highway.

“Accidents have increased along the highway after monkeys started entering the Tarai from hilly areas”, Information Officer Khanal said, adding, “The bridge is being constructed to reduce road accidents caused by monkeys crossing the road on the highway.” ”

An overhead canopy bridge has already been constructed on the Nawalparasi (Bardaghat-Susta East) section of the East-West Highway. He said that monkeys have been seen crossing the canopy bridge constructed in the Pitaunji forest of Gaindakot-10.

“It is not the time to test the effectiveness of the overhead canopy bridge now,” said Information Officer Khanal, adding, “To make the bridge useful by creating an environment for monkeys and other animals to cross the bridge, we have to attract them by giving them fruits in the first few days. He said that preparations have been made to place fruits in the overhead canopy bridge to attract monkeys in some time.”

“An overhead canopy bridge will be constructed at a budget of less than Rs 5 lakh,” said Information Officer Khanal, adding, “The construction of this bridge in the forest area of the main highway will help in reducing accidents and damage.” The road expansion project had constructed a 34-meter-long and four-feet wide overhead canopy bridge over the road in the highway forest under the Biodiversity Conservation and Promotion Program in Gaindakot. He said that this bridge will help especially monkeys to cross safely on busy roads.

Information Officer Khanal said that efforts have been made to facilitate the natural movement of wildlife by constructing overhead canopy bridges, to conserve biodiversity, to reduce wildlife-vehicle accidents and to make the road infrastructure environment-friendly. He said that the road expansion plan has been done to construct water ponds in the forests along the highway for the conservation of biodiversity and provide necessary support to control poaching.