India delivers Bailey bridge components to flood-hit Nepal

India has delivered the first consignment of components for a 70-metre Bailey bridge to Nepal’s Road Division in Hetauda. The modular steel bridge is intended to restore vital connectivity in the Betrawati area of the Nuwakot district, which was severely impacted by recent natural disasters.

The assistance follows devastating flash floods triggered by a glacial event near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26. The floods, which surged through the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river systems, resulted in over 1,300 deaths, left hundreds missing, and destroyed numerous bridges, roads, and hydropower projects across several districts including Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhading.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava announced the delivery, noting that the 70-metre span is necessary because existing bridge inventories in Nepal often lack the length required to cross the wider gaps created by the floods. The handover ceremony included local officials, members of parliament, and representatives from the Nepal Police and Armed Police Force.