Nawalparasi, Jan. 12 -- Construction of a signature bridge over the Narayani river has been stalled after a key load-bearing measurement machine imported from China was held up at the Rasuwagadhi customs point in Rasuwa.

Narayan Lamichhane, chief of the Bharatpur Road Division Office, said visible construction work could not move ahead because the specialised equipment required for testing the bridge's load capacity has not reached the site. "The contractor has already purchased the machine in China, but it is stuck at the Rasuwa customs. Work will progress as soon as it arrives," he said.

The equipment has been held at Kerung for the past two weeks. The device must be installed at the base of one of the two main pillars to be erected. ...