Bridge repairs for Nepal

Repair work is underway in Nepal on a key bridge located on the Ratna Highway. The 117m bridge over the Bheri River links Surkhet and Dailekh was built in 1988 by a Chinese construction company and now required urgent repair. Work being carried out includes the removal of corrosion from truss sections using sand blasting and repainting to provide long term protection. Another major part of the repair involves raising the Eastern end of the bridge, which has damaged bolts and subsided due to overweight vehicles. Other major tasks underway include sealing the deck using a specially selected material. The repair work is due for completion by March 2012 and is being funded directly by the Nepalese Government as part of a programme to upgrade many of the country’s older bridges. As part of the same programme, repairs are also being carried out to the Mungling suspension bridge. This structure spans the Trishuli River on the Prithvi Highway linking Munging and Chitwan and the work is being carried out during the night to prevent daytime traffic delays. The work involves replacing worn bridge bearings.