The local people of Bramadev in Kanchanpur district have urged authorities of Nepal and India to open the already constructed bridge over Tanakpur Barrage.

At a greeting exchange programme on Tuesday on the eve of Gaura, a major festival of Sudurpaschim Province, where elected representatives from both Nepal and India were in attendance, the locals demanded opening of the bridge to facilitate transportation across the Bramadev-Tanakpur border point.

In accordance with the Mahakali Treaty signed by Nepal and India in 1996, the Indian side constructed the barrage and bridge across the Mahakali river around two decades ago linking Bramadev with the Indian town of Tanakpur. However, the bridge has yet to come into operation. India, which is responsible for building the barrage, link road and irrigation canal under the treaty—has not built the link road on the Indian side.

“Tanakpur border point is significant from a business and religious point of view. The border point should be opened at the earliest. The link roads of both sides and canal should be constructed immediately,” said Keshav Chand. “It was announced earlier that the Tanakpur barrage would be connected with Asian highway. But unfortunately this vital border point lies unused,” he added.

Kailash Chandra Gahatodi, a lawmaker of the Indian state of Uttarakhand, State Minister for Industry, Forest, Environment and Tourism of Sudurpaschim Province Prakash Rawal, representatives of the local level, the business community and the local people were present in the function.

The locals of Bramadev submitted a memorandum to Gahatodi to take initiatives to open the Tanakpur border point soon. After receiving the memorandum, the Indian lawmaker assured that he would take the initiative to build the link road and canal soon. “I heard that the Indian government is preparing to invite tender for canal construction this year. The link road construction will be carried out along with the canal,” he said.

The locals have formed a nine-member coordination committee under Madhav Joshi, the former vice-chairman of Kanchanpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry, to pressure authorities of both countries to open the transborder bridge.