Historic Dodhara Chandani suspension bridge damaged after pillar collapses

Kanchanpur, October 2, 2026 — The historic suspension bridge over the Mahakali River connecting Dodhara Chandani with the rest of Nepal has become impassable after its third pillar on the Dodhara Chandani side collapsed on Wednesday morning, leaving local residents concerned about the loss of a structure closely associated with the area’s development and identity.

Seventy-seven-year-old Bhim Bahadur Singh, a former ward member of Dodhara Chandani Municipality-4, inspected the damaged bridge on Thursday. Singh had operated a boat service across the Mahakali River until 2003, before shifting to business after the suspension bridge was built.

“I was moved to tears seeing the condition of this historic bridge,” Singh said. “It was a landmark that introduced Dodhara Chandani to people across the country and abroad. We have lost an important part of our identity.”

Singh called for the bridge to be reconstructed without delay, saying its closure had affected local movement as well as tourism and businesses around the bridge, particularly during the Dashain and Tihar festival season.

Dodhara Chandani, a settlement near the Indian border, was established around 1965. Before the suspension bridge was built, residents had to either cross the Mahakali River by boat or travel through India via the Banbasa Bridge to reach other parts of Kanchanpur.

Construction of the suspension bridge began in 2001 and was completed in 2004. The bridge ended the settlement’s dependence on Indian routes and made travel to the district headquarters and other parts of Nepal easier. Over the years, it also became associated with tourism and the broader development of the area.

Subsequent infrastructure projects, including a four-lane bridge over the Mahakali River, an access road and the development of a dry port, have further contributed to Dodhara Chandani’s economic growth.

“I operated boats on the Mahakali for 20 consecutive years from 1978. We could never have imagined the level of development seen here today,” Singh said, adding that the damage to the bridge that first connected Dodhara Chandani directly with the country’s mainstream was deeply upsetting.