In 2009, the then Minister for Physical Planning and Works  Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar had inaugurated the bridge promising that if the bridge is not built in the next three years he will duly retire from active politics.

But neither the construction on the bridge has been completed nor did Gachhadar retire from politics.

Gachhadar is not the only leader who inaugurated the bridge in the past. In fact he is said to be the third high-profile person to inaugurate the bridge after Zonal Chief Manmohan Mishra did so for the first time some five decades ago.  In 1984, then Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand had also inaugurated the bridge for the second time.

Meanwhile, the construction company building the bridge informed that about 70 percent of the construction has been finished and assured that the overpass will be ready soon.  However, tired of the continued broken promises, locals are still doubtful about the bridge being built within the stipulated time.

The government had been compelled to begin construction work on the bridge after locals exerted continuous pressure on the government to finish constructing the bridge which has not seen the light of day even after a 6-decade long wait.

Anak Surya and Sons Company has been awarded the tender for constructing the bridge at the cost of Rs 360 million. After construction work is finished, the bridge will be 660 metres long, 10 metres wide, and will have a 70 ton capacity.

Anil Maskey, in-charge of the construction company, assured that although they face many technical and operational difficulties, they have intensified construction works on the bridge.

“Construction work on the bridge is moving head in a rapid pace despite the rainy season and the bridge will be ready within the next one year,” he said.

Concurrently, residents of Bhadrapur town, who continued to exert pressure on the government for the construction of Mechi bridge for a long time despite facing many hardships, are now starting to believe that the bridge will be built within the next one year.

Om Sarawagi, a local businessman, claimed that there were indeed some technical problems including faults and shortcomings of the construction company behind its failure to complete work within the scheduled time.

It is hoped that Bhadrapur along with much of southern Jhapa will directly benefit from increased economic activity brought about by the construction of the bridge.