Skip to main content

Nepalese bridge issues

In Nepal a 159m long suspension bridge spanning the Trishuli River has collapsed, killing two and injuring 17 while five people are posted as missing. Meanwhile in neighbouring India, an old wooden bridge spanning the Rangit River has collapsed killing 32, injuring 70 and leaving 35 missing. A significant portion of those killed, injured or missing are Nepali speaking tea workers.
May 4, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
In Nepal a 159m long suspension bridge spanning the Trishuli River has collapsed, killing two and injuring 17 while five people are posted as missing. Meanwhile in neighbouring India, an old wooden bridge spanning the Rangit River has collapsed killing 32, injuring 70 and leaving 35 missing. A significant portion of those killed, injured or missing are Nepali speaking tea workers.

The suspension bridge over the Trishuli River was built 18 years ago and connected Bhumlichowk in Gorkha district and Fishling of Chitwan district, close to the Prithivi Highway.

The Indian bridge that collapsed was considerably older and may have dated back before India gained its independence according to sources. The structure was located some 80km from Darjeeling and connected Bijanbari with Chungthung providing a key route for the local tea industry.

On a more positive note, Nepal’s Ministry for Physical Planning and Works has inaugurated work to a bridge over Kamala River. This bridge will connect the Siraha and Dhanusa district headquarters and forms part of the Postal Highway network.

The pre-stressed girder bridge will measure 450m long by 7.5m wide and will be completed within the end of 2014, reducing the current journey distance from Siraha – Janakpur. The country’s new Postal Highways will boost development of the Terai Region and are being prioritised. Work to a further 53 bridges will also form part of the Postal Highway system and some funding will be provided by India.

Related Content

  • Nepal’s road network continues to develop
    October 15, 2012
    Data from the Nepalese Government shows that work is on-going to upgrade the country’s road network. Public Road Statistics from the Ministry of Physical Planning, Works and Transport Management show that 1,180km of new roads have been constructed in Nepal in the 2011-2012 fiscal year. The statistics reveal that of the 1,180km of roads, 290km were surfaced with asphalt and 407km were gravel roads, while there were also 47 new bridges built in the period. The target for the 2011-2012 fiscal year however was
  • New Angolan bridge offers improved connectivity
    September 30, 2013
    Drivers in Angola are benefiting from a bridge that spans the Catumbela River, taking the place of an old structure that had proven not fit for purpose. The US$35 million cable stayed bridge is located in the highway between Benguela and Lobito, around 7km from Angola’s Atlantic coast and is one of a series of new infrastructure developments in the country. Angola suffered a long period of war that impacted on its people and infrastructure. The war resulted in severe damage to the country’s road system alon
  • New bridge over Nile will help landlocked Uganda
    April 3, 2013
    A new River Nile bridge is essential to boost trade and improve traffic in landlocked Uganda. Shem Oirere reports A new bridge across the River Nile at Jinja, to be constructed by Uganda, is promising to boost trade in eastern Africa and pave the way for smooth and safe traffic in and out of this landlocked country. The bridge, also known as the Second Nile Bridge, is the first cable-stayed bridge in the region and will be constructed at Njeru, 80km east of the Ugandan capital Kampala, along the Kampala-Jin
  • The world’s longest suspension bridge
    June 24, 2024
    The world’s longest suspension bridge is the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge in Turkey. This engineering marvel links Gelibolu with Lapseki, forming a key section of the 101km highway linking Malkara with Çanakkale. *Article produced in partnership with the General Directorate of Highways (KGM), Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, Republic of Türkiye.