Dhading After the flood of Trishuli river washed away the Furkekhola bridge, the traffic on the suspension bridge at Malekhu, which is being used as an alternative, has increased. With the rush of passengers returning after celebrating Dasain, they have to wait for a long time to cross the suspension bridge and it has become difficult for pedestrians to move.
A notice has been posted on the bridge over the Trishuli River located in Benighat Rorang Rural Municipality-3 that allows only one vehicle to travel at a time. However, when many motorcycles and scooters enter at the same time, pedestrians also have to pass through the narrow space.
Social activist Shivraj Sapkota said that the increase in traffic on the suspension bridge has increased the security risk. He said that the presence of local administration or security personnel should be mandatory when the bridge is overcrowded. After the motorcycle enters the bridge, there is not enough space for the pedestrians to cross each other.
Motorcyclist Abhishek Adhikari, who was returning from Dhading to Chitwan, narrated his experience of having to wait for a long time to cross the bridge. “We had to sit in a jam for more than half an hour in the sun to wait for our turn on the bridge,” he said. He said that even though he was worried about the safety of the bridge, he had to use this road under compulsion.
Before Dasain, local youth used to sit at the entrance of the bridge and allow only one motorcycle to enter at a time. As the number of passengers returning to Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan increased after Dasai, it became difficult to control the pressure.
The flood that occurred on August 10 washed away the Furkekhola bridge connecting the district headquarters Dhadingbensi and Prithvi Highway. After this, motorcyclists going to the headquarters and nearby areas have been using the suspension bridge over the Trishuli river as an alternative route.