Nepal's longest modular bridge, built with Indian assistance inaugurated in Panchthar

Kathmandu [Nepal], August 20 (ANI): A seventy-meter span modular bridge built with Indian assistance over the Hewa Khola (river) has been inaugurated on Wednesday.
The Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava, and the Minister of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Devendra Dahal, jointly inaugurated the bridge, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu announced.

Ambassador @IndiaInNepal and Minister of Physical Infrastructure and Transport of🇳🇵jointly inaugurated 70 meter span modular bridge built over Hewa Khola in Panchthar district. This bridge is the longest such bridge ever installed in🇳🇵, linking the northern and southern parts of… pic.twitter.com/w8AfK14YXE

— IndiaInNepal (@IndiaInNepal) August 20, 2025

In a post on X, the Indian Embassy wrote, "Ambassador @IndiaInNepal and Minister of Physical Infrastructure and Transport of Nepal jointly inaugurated a 70-meter span modular bridge built over Hewa Khola in Panchthar district."
This bridge is the longest such bridge ever installed in Nepal, linking the northern and southern parts of Koshi province. The installation of the Hewa Khola bridge was done by a team of technicians of @OfficialGRSE. In the process, 35 professionals of Nepal gained hands-on experience in the erection of modular bridges at the site, resulting in capacity building in this niche domain," the post added.
According to the Indian Embassy, India provided 10 prefabricated steel bridges to Nepal, in the aftermath of September 2024 floods, at a cost of over NPR 40 crore under a grant for restoring vital road infrastructure damaged by flooding and enhancing connectivity."
Installation of the bridge over the Hewa Khola had been a daunting task for the Nepali technicians, as it had continued to collapse before completion. The bridge was completed on the third attempt with the assistance of Indian technicians.
Hewakhola lies at Mechi Highway, which flows separating Panchthar's Phidim and Hilihang. The highway connects Panchthar and Taplejung to Ilam and Jhapa.
Thirty engineers, comprising 21 Indian technicians, were mobilised for the installation of the bridge. (ANI)