Bailey bridge materials arrive in Arughat as stranded passengers wait for helicopters

Materials needed to build a Bailey bridge have arrived at the Arughat bridge connecting Gorkha and Dhading, which was damaged by flooding in the Budhigandaki river.

Traffic has been completely halted at this crossing since Sunday after the flood washed away about 22 meters of the bridge's Gorkha side.

The Bailey bridge will be installed in coordination with the Nepali Army and the Gorkha Road Project to quickly restore transport service.

A Nepali Army technical team has already reached Arughat to carry out the construction work.

The Army said the necessary civil work must be completed first, and the Bailey bridge will be ready about two days after installation begins.

Meanwhile, with the road blocked, ordinary people returning to their home districts from Kathmandu and elsewhere have been stranded in Arughat.

The entire road network beyond Chheparey in Ward No. 3 of Arughat Rural Municipality has been closed, so no vehicles have been able to travel beyond that point.

The stranded passengers have been staying at Gharilchaur in the hope of reaching their villages by helicopter.

However, helicopters have so far not managed to take even one of them to their village.

The Nepali Army said it is continuing to deliver relief materials to flood-affected settlements and rescue those stranded by the flood.