India has provided Nepal with components for three Bailey bridges to help restore road connectivity in areas of Nuwakot and Rasuwa where bridges were washed away by the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli floods.

The first consignment of components for a 70-metre Bailey bridge was handed over to the Road Division Office in Hetauda on Saturday, according to the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu. More consignments are expected to arrive in the coming days.

Indian Embassy First Secretary Narayan Singh handed over the bridge components to Kiran Karki of the Road Division Office, Hetauda, at a ceremony attended by representatives of the local administration, security agencies and Hetauda Sub-metropolitan City.

The components, transported by trucks, were brought to the premises of the Road Division Office in Hetauda.

India’s Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava said the bridge would help restore connectivity in the Betrawati area, which was affected by the Bhote Koshi-Trishuli flash floods.

Singh said the Indian government and people were saddened by the destruction caused by the floods.

The floods washed away 35 motorable bridges and 17 footbridges in Rasuwa and Nuwakot, according to the Road Division Office. Following the destruction, the Nepal government had asked both India and China to provide Bailey bridges to restore transport links.

The Road Division Office said the Bailey bridge components provided by India would be sent to Nuwakot immediately for installation.