Ilam. The Ilam-Rajduwali road section at Ilam municipality-9 has not been brought into operation for the time being. Chief District Officer Sunita Nepal said the road could not be opened due to the complex geography.

According to him, although continuous efforts are being made to resume the road, the problem of landslides and frequent subsidence has caused difficulties. “Continuous efforts are being made to resume the road but it is not possible to bring it into operation immediately due to complexity of the physical infrastructure,” CDO Nepal said.

The road disruption has affected the movement of passengers and vehicles in Jhapa, Ilam, Panchthar and Taplejung districts for the past nine days. Meanwhile, CDO Nepal said that preparations have been started for the operation of small vehicles by identifying alternative routes. Although small vehicles have been allowed on the Tilkeni-Bajradevi-Namsaling-Nayabazaar-Fikkal route on Sunday, preparations are underway to operate small vehicles via Tilkeni-Simalgo road section from Monday, CDO Nepal said.

“Work on diversion of the Tilkeni-Simalgo road has been started from Sunday by installing hum pipes in the Jogmai River through the Road Division,” he said. ’

However, alternative routes have not been identified for large vehicles and goods carriers. According to him, heavy vehicles are facing difficulties due to the sharp turning and narrowness of the road at Tilkeni-Bajradevi-Namsaling-Nayabazaar-Fikkal and Tilkeni-Simalgo.

The Road Division Office, Ilam has halted the reconstruction of Rajduwali road section along the Mechi Highway for the time being. According to Engineer Arjun Ghimire, information officer of the Road Division, the reconstruction of the Rajduwali road section has been halted as there is problem in Rajduwali due to the problem of land infrastructure and resources and human resources have to be mobilized on an alternative route.

“We have been trying to open the Rajduwali section so far but we could not succeed”, Ghimire said, adding, “We have mobilized resources and human resources in an alternative route. ’

Locals construct wooden bridge over Puwakhola

Locals have constructed a wooden bridge over Puwakhola along the Mechi corridor (Kechana-Kanchenjunga road) that connects Ilam district headquarters to Birtamod of Jhapa. Ilam Municipality-9, Bhangtar and Ward No. After the flood swept away the Bailey Bridge over Puwakhola that connects 11 Soyak, the villagers have constructed a wooden motorable bridge as an alternative.

The 50-feet long and eight feet wide wooden bridge was constructed under the leadership of local youth Roshan Rai with support from the residents of Soyak and Nepal Army. Locals had donated voluntary labour for five days for the construction of the bridge. Campaign leader Rai said that they are working to construct wooden bridges as the road connection with the district headquarters has been disrupted after the floods swept away the Bailey Bridge.