The under-construction Eklevatti-Pakling Motorable Bridge across the Kaligandaki River connecting Mustang and Dolpa has been completed after 7 years. The former District Development Committee had awarded the contract. The bridge under construction on the Kaligandaki river connecting Mustang-Dolpa, which is connected with the Jomsom-Korla road of national pride, was started on 31st June 2072 by Elite Sankarmali JV with a contract agreement at a cost of 12 million 13 lakh 85 thousand.
Elite Sankalarmali JV signed the contract to build the bridge, which has been started, but the construction of the bridge was delayed due to various reasons. Recently, the infrastructure development office had started the construction work with the second representative who had contracted the contract for the construction of the bridge. The length of the bridge is 120 meters and the width is 7.2 meters. The bridge has 3 spans with a span of 40 m. The bottom beam of the bridge consists of steel plate girders and slab slopes at the top.
The bridge was inaugurated on Thursday in the presence of Infrastructure Development Office Mustang and local residents. Outgoing state MP Mahendra Bahadur Thakali inaugurated the bridge by cutting the ribbon. He said that the construction of the bridge will increase the road connectivity with the neighboring Dolpa and it will facilitate the marketing of food, construction materials and agricultural produce in various villages including the border village of Santa.
Ringzhin Namgel Gurung, president of Waragung Liberation Area, mentioned that the construction of the bridge, though delayed, has spread hope among the local residents.