Ilam. A bailey bridge has been constructed at Puwa khola under the Kechana-Kanchanjunga (Mechi Corridor) road connecting Ilam district headquarters to Birtamod of Jhapa. After the construction of the bailey bridge, the alternative to mechi highway has been opened.

With the construction of bailey bridge for the first time at Puwa Khol connecting Ilam municipality-9 and 11, the option of short and safe route has been opened for local residents and vehicles travelling to Jhapa-Ilam-Panchthar-Taplejung. SagararSubharamvararRRissa JV has constructed the bailey bridge.

In the absence of the bridge, passengers had to travel at risk in the past. Especially during the rainy season, the road used to be completely closed. The bailey bridge has been constructed at a cost of Rs 13.5 million by the federal government. Arjun Ghimire, information officer of the Road Division, Ilam, said the bailey bridge is 48.6 meters long.

Gopal Chahan, ward chair of Ilam municipality-9, said that with the construction of bailey bridge, the movement of vehicles between Jhapa and Ilam has come to a halt. “Earlier, the road used to be used in winter, but it used to be completely closed in the rainy season,” he said. ’

Last year, the highway was closed for two weeks due to landslides. In the absence of an alternative road at that time, passengers from Taplejung, Panchthar and Ilam to Jhapa were forced to walk from Maikhola to Pari and passengers coming from Jhapa to Ilam, Panchthar and Taplejung were forced to walk from Pari to Wari to reach their destinations by changing their vehicles.

At present, with the construction of bailey bridge at Puwa khola, it is possible to reach Birtamod of Jhapa at a distance of 47 kilometers by using kechana-Kanchanjunga road directly from Golakhark section of Mechi Highway. Using the Mechi Highway, Birtamod can be reached only at a distance of 83 kilometers.

A 15-km road has already been blacktopped in Mai municipality area of Ilam section. Of the remaining 17 kilometres, 14 kilometres are being constructed on contract basis, said Road Division Chief Engineer Pawan Bhattarai.