Aarughat Bailey bridge final stage has been reached on the Budhigandaki River crossing between Gorkha and Dhading, Infrastructure Development Minister Er. Sunil Lamsal announced on Sunday. The foundation and civil construction works needed for the Bailey installation on both the Gorkha side and the Dhading side are complete, and preparations are under way to bring traffic into operation by tomorrow once the installation is finished.
The Bailey bridge is being installed at the damaged section of the concrete bridge at Aarughat. On October 10, flooding on the Budhigandaki River washed away a 22 metre section of the bridge on the Gorkha side, cutting the road link between Gorkha and Dhading at one of the main crossings in the area. The temporary Bailey structure is being placed at the same damaged location so that vehicles can cross again while the longer term repair of the permanent bridge is planned.
Why this crossing matters
Aarughat is a key link for communities on both banks of the Budhigandaki. The Benighat to Aarughat and Machhikhola road serves settlements across northern Dhading and Gorkha, and the loss of the bridge section forced travellers and goods vehicles onto long detours during the busiest travel period of the year. Restoring the crossing before the main Dashain travel days finish is the reason the ministry teams have been working on both banks at the same time.
Aarughat Bailey bridge final stage follows two earlier steps reported this month. Foundation construction began on October 13, when the Bailey structure and installation equipment were delivered to the site, and by October 15 rebar tying and concreting were advancing on both banks with Bailey materials ready. Completing the foundation and civil works on both sides is the point at which the remaining work is the installation itself, which is why the ministry now expects traffic within a day.
What happens next
Once the Aarughat Bailey bridge final stage installation is complete and traffic opens, attention will return to the damaged permanent bridge. A Bailey bridge is a temporary structure, so load limits and careful use will matter while the long term solution is prepared. Eve Construction will follow the opening and any weight restrictions announced for the crossing.
Related reading: Aarughat Bailey bridge foundation and Aarughat Bailey bridge installation progress.
The Aarughat work is one of several Bailey bridge operations the ministry has run this season after flood damage, following the same pattern used at Betrawati in Rasuwa and at Syafrubesi on the road to Rasuwagadhi, where temporary steel structures restored road links that floods had cut. At each site the sequence has been the same: foundation and approach works first, then installation of the modular steel structure, then a controlled opening to traffic. Aarughat reaching its final stage means the Gorkha to Dhading link is the latest of those crossings to come back into service.
Source: Minister Sunil Lamsal’s Facebook post, October 18, 2026, https://www.facebook.com/reel/1429297488533223/