Maldhunga bridge geobags are the next step in the race to restore the flood-damaged crossing in Baglung, with the first layer of foundation work now complete and crews pressing ahead to compact the base before the heavy geobags go in. Infrastructure Development Minister Sunil Lamsal shared the update on October 6, saying the foundation work is being driven forward on a tight overnight schedule.
According to the minister, the first layer of work, placing stones in the lower part of the Maldhunga bridge, is complete. The foundation is now being pressed and compacted to strengthen it, while third-layer construction in the upper part of the bridge is underway with a target of finishing the same night.
The minister said placement of geobags weighing about 150 kg each begins the next day. “Crane use will speed up geobag placement to complete construction on schedule,” he added.
Maldhunga bridge geobags: the next 48 hours
The sequence at Maldhunga is tightly packed. With the stone layer in the lower section finished and compaction underway, crews are pushing to complete the third layer in the upper part of the bridge the same night. That sets up the following day for the main event: lowering 150-kg geobags into position with a crane, a method that is far faster and more precise than manual placement and gives the foundation the mass it needs to resist flood pressure.
Geobags, sand or aggregate filled bags stacked and pinned in layers, are a common emergency repair technique for bridge foundations and riverbanks in Nepal. Their weight and flexibility let them settle into scoured riverbeds, protecting bridge piers and abutments from further erosion. At Maldhunga, the Maldhunga bridge geobags will form the protective mass around the newly compacted foundation.
Maldhunga bridge reconstruction timeline
The Maldhunga crossing sits on the Mid-Hill Highway, also known as the Pushpalal Highway, in Baglung district. This week’s progress is a follow-up to the Maldhunga bridge reconstruction work covered on this site on October 4, and it forms part of the broader post-monsoon push to restore flood-damaged crossings before Dashain, when travel demand peaks across the country.
Flood damage to bridges is one of the most disruptive legacies of the monsoon in Nepal’s hill districts, cutting off road links that communities depend on for markets, schools, and health services. Getting the Maldhunga bridge geobags placed on schedule would reopen a vital link on the Mid-Hill corridor and keep the pre-Dashain restoration drive on track.
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Source: Minister Sunil Lamsal’s Facebook post, October 6, 2026.