The Bhatauli bridge, which connects Manthali Municipality-7 and Pakarbas in Khadadevi Rural Municipality-4, is under serious threat after heavy flooding on Saturday morning further weakened its structure, particularly the supporting pillars.

According to Kedarnath Dhungel, a local resident, although earlier floods had caused only minor damage, the latest surge has severely impacted the pillar on the Pakarbas side.

“The retaining wall has already been swept away. It’s not safe for large vehicles to pass,” he said.

Krishna Prasad Paudel, ward chair of Khadadevi-4, confirmed that the direct force of the river against the pillar is making the structure increasingly fragile. “Only small vehicles can currently cross the bridge,” he added.

The bridge has played a crucial role in local transport, particularly since the collapse of the Khurkot bridge last October. Although a Bailey bridge was temporarily installed there, it cannot support cargo vehicles exceeding 15 tonnes, making the Bhatauli Bridge the only viable option for heavy transport.

Kailash Prasad Dhungel, a permanent resident of Khadadevi and Bagmati province chair of CPN-UML, has called on authorities to take immediate action. “The damage to this concrete bridge is serious. It demands urgent attention and repair to ensure safe and uninterrupted travel,” he urged.

Constructed in the 2014/15 fiscal year by Swachhanda Srijana JV under the Swiss-supported Local Road Bridge Programme (LRBP), the bridge cost approximately Rs40 million. It remains a vital link in Ramechhap’s alternative transport network, connecting Manthali with Khadadevi, Doramba Shailung, and Sunapati rural municipalities—and ultimately with Kathmandu.

Locals have expressed deep concern that further damage to the bridge could disrupt transport and supply routes between Ramechhap and the capital city Kathmandu.

During last year’s collapse of the Khurkot bridge, this route served as the only passage for vehicles travelling between Ramechhap, Dolakha, and Kathmandu.