The Aarughat Bailey bridge installation is advancing at speed on both banks of the Budhigandaki River in Gorkha district, after flooding damaged the existing bridge at Aarughat. Crews are working on foundations on both sides of the river, materials are ready on site, and the current target is to complete the work and bring traffic into operation by the coming Saturday.
This update follows the start of foundation work reported on 13 October, and it shows how the project has moved from early preparation to active work on both sides of the river. The focus is now on finishing the foundations in time for the steel structure to be placed and opened to traffic.
Aarughat Bailey bridge installation moves ahead on the Gorkha side
On the Gorkha side, where part of the bridge was washed away, foundation work for the Bailey bridge is underway. Because the Bailey bridge is larger than the old bridge, a new foundation is needed to match its size. Workers are using fast-setting concrete for that foundation, a choice intended to keep the work moving quickly while still giving the structure the base it requires.
The scale of the new crossing explains why the foundation cannot simply reuse what was left behind. A larger structure needs a wider and stronger base, and building that base first is a central part of the current Aarughat Bailey bridge installation. Once the foundation is ready, the steel components kept on site can be placed with less delay.
Steel tying and concreting start on the opposite bank
Work is not limited to one side of the river. On the opposite damaged side, workers are tying steel reinforcement bars, and concreting to prepare that foundation has also started. Progress on both banks at the same time is important, because the bridge needs secure foundations at each end before the main structure can carry traffic safely.
Bailey bridge materials are kept ready on site, so the teams do not need to wait for the main components to arrive after the foundations are finished. That preparation supports the tight schedule now in place, and it reflects the urgency of restoring a direct crossing at Aarughat for local travel and transport.
Traffic targeted by Saturday, with work continuing at night
If work follows the set schedule, construction will be completed and traffic will be brought into operation by the coming Saturday. A team under the Ministry of Infrastructure Development is working at night as well as during the day, and the stated goal is to bring the bridge into operation before Dashain. Night work underlines how important the deadline is for people who rely on this route.
The Aarughat Bailey bridge installation is therefore being treated as an urgent restoration task rather than a routine repair. Completing foundations on both banks, preparing steel reinforcement, and keeping materials ready are all steps aimed at meeting the Saturday target without losing time between stages.
The bridge is the remaining key link on a reopened road
The wider road context also matters. The flood-blocked Benighat to Aarughat to Machhikhola road was already brought back into operation earlier, so the bridge is the remaining key link over the Budhigandaki at Aarughat. Restoring this crossing will connect the reopened road sections and make movement through the area more direct again. Readers can see the earlier stage in our report on the Aarughat Bailey bridge foundation work.
Bailey bridges are temporary steel structures used to restore crossings quickly after flood damage. The same approach has been seen recently at Betrawati and Syafrubesi in Rasuwa, where temporary crossings helped restore movement after damage to key routes. Our report on the Betrawati Bailey bridge completion explains a similar case.
For residents, traders, and travellers in and around Aarughat, the coming days will show whether the Saturday target can be met. For now, the clearest sign of progress is visible on both banks: foundations taking shape, steel being tied, concreting underway, and a team working into the night to reopen the crossing before Dashain.
Source: Minister Sunil Lamsal’s Facebook post, 15 October 2026