Pithoragarh: Nepal's Ambassador to India Shankar Prasad Sharma on Thursday inspected the motor bridge being constructed over the Kali river on the India-Nepal border in Charchoma village of Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand.

After inspecting the bridge with officials from the Nepali Embassy, ??Sharma said, "Commercial activities will hopefully start on this bridge soon. The bridge will further strengthen relations between India and Nepal."

This is the second motor bridge to be built on the India-Nepal border after the one on Banbasa in Champawat district of Uttarakhand.

State Public Works Department (PWD) Executive Engineer Arun said that the 150-metre approach road from the highway to the bridge is expected to be completed by March 2026, while the approach road from the other side will also be completed by the end of this month.

He said that after the completion of the approach roads on both the Indian and Nepali sides, sheds for security and customs will be constructed, and then the project will be inaugurated.

Pithoragarh District Magistrate Ashish Bhatgai directed Public Works Department in a meeting last week to construct temporary sheds for security and customs so that the motor bridge could be inaugurated as soon as possible.

Dharchula Sub-Divisional Magistrate Jitendra Verma said Indian agencies are constructing the approach roads on both the Indian and Nepali sides.

The foundation stone of the motor bridge was laid by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami in 2022.