Kankai Bridge: Contract Extended Five Times, Construction Progress Stalls at ‘Half’ After 13 Years

The construction of the Kankai Bridge, which connects Jhapa Rural Municipality-2 and Gaurigunj Rural Municipality-1 in eastern Nepal, has been delayed for 13 years. Initially contracted in 2011, the project was supposed to facilitate smoother transportation between Biratnagar, the capital of Koshi Province, and Jhapa district. However, the bridge’s completion remains elusive, leaving local residents to bear the brunt of the stagnation.

The contract, awarded on June 13, 2011, was set with a four-year deadline, originally targeting completion by June 12, 2015. Despite multiple extensions, the physical progress stands at just 58%, with the most recent deadline expiring in July 2023. Engineer Prabhat Kiran Rai, information officer at the Postal Highway Directorate, confirmed that the contract has been extended five times, but the pace of construction remains slow.

An expert team from Pulchowk Engineering Campus conducted a study of the bridge’s technical issues and submitted a report with recommendations. However, Rai noted that the contractor company has not acted on the suggestions nor resumed work despite repeated instructions. Preparations are underway to terminate the contract due to the contractor’s non-compliance and initiate a new process, Rai added.

Local authorities have expressed frustration over the delays. Koshi Province Assembly member Lakhi Kumari Ganesh, representing the affected area, criticized the lack of action from both local and provincial authorities, including the Chief Minister and the construction company. “The construction has stalled due to issues not accounted for in the cost estimate. It will take a long time to dissolve the current contract and start a new one,” she said.

Tanka Prasad Shrestha, a resident of Gauriganj-1, expressed disappointment over the prolonged delay. “The bridge, initially expected to be completed in four years, is nowhere near finished,” he lamented, noting that the contractor had already removed its equipment and materials from the site, casting doubt on the project’s future.

Himal Kumar Chamlagai, ward chair of Jhapa Rural Municipality-2, shared similar concerns, stating that despite multiple requests for action, no response has been forthcoming from the authorities.

The stagnation of the Kankai Bridge project has had a broader impact, disrupting trade, business, and tourism in the region, leaving residents and officials frustrated over the unfulfilled promises of improved connectivity.