Kanchanpur. 90 percent of the construction of the bridge over the Doda River has been completed.

Harish Prasad Joshi, information officer at the Road Division Office, Mahendranagar, said that the bridge construction is expected to be completed by mid-January. According to him, the superstructure of the bridge has been completed so far and works on both sides of the bridge are being constructed and the work of filling up the earth is going on.

The contract was signed with Lumbini-Rajendra-Kumar-Shrestha JV at the cost of Rs 240.392 crore. Though the contract was signed on January 10, 2015 with the intention of completing the project within three years, it has not been completed on time due to dillydallying on part of the entrepreneurs.

Joshi said that the deadline for completing the project has been extended by mid-January and only Rs 40 lakh has been allocated for the construction of the bridge in the current fiscal year. He said that four crores more will be needed to complete Paul’s work.

Locals have been crossing the river risking in absence of the bridge. According to Bachchan Rana, a local, the construction of the bridge will ease the movement of residents of Lajhadi, Shuklaphanta and Krishnapur.