The 110-metre bridge sanctioned by the Centre over the Kali river in Dharchula sub-division of this district will be the second motor bridge on the India-Nepal border in Uttarakhand, officials said on Saturday.
The other one, the Banbasa bridge, is situated in the Champawat district.
According to VK Sinha, an executive engineer of Askot division of the state PWD, the steel bridge will be built at Malla Charchum village near Dharchula town of Pithoragarh.
"A joint inspection team of engineers from India and Nepal has already approved the spot," said Sinha, who is the nodal officer for the construction of the bridge.
Dharchula SDM SK Shukla said, "Besides being the second motor bridge in Uttarakhand, it will be the first such bridge in Pithoragarh district."
The executive engineer said the bridge in Dharchula will be 110-metre-long and 10.50 metres wide with 7.5 metres carriageway. "The two-lane bridge will have a footpath on both sides." The bridge will be built at a cost of ₹46.06 crore, Mr Sinha said.
A detailed project report has been prepared after experts from IIT-Delhi approved the design of the bridge, said the official.
Krishna Phirmal, a social worker at Charchum village, said, "The first motor bridge sanctioned by the government at this place will help in increasing trade between two countries and bring the already vibrant social relation between two societies more closer." According to Mr Sinha, after the two governments sign an MoU, a budget approval from the state government will be awaited.
"On receiving the budget, work will be started immediately and the bridge will be ready three years from beginning the construction of work," said the PWD engineer.
