The first only cable-stayed longest bridge in Nepal is Karnali bridge. It is the longest bridge in Nepal. Karnali bridge is located approximately 500 km west of Kathmandu.

Karnali Bridge connects western terai. The Karnali River comprises tributaries of the Bheri river and other 6 tributaries. The Sano Bheri and Thulo Bheri are the main two tributaries of the Karnali river. 

It is an important link to reach western mountains in the country like Api Himal, Saipal Himal, Kailash Mansorowar, Siddha Tope, Kalapani, Lipulekha and so many other places. 

The Karnali is the perennial transboundary river originating on the Tibetan plateau near lake Manasarovar. It cuts through the Himalayas in Nepal and joins the Sharda River at Brahma Ghat. 

With a length of 507 km. It is the longest river in Nepal. It is the second longest tributary of the Ganges by a length after.  

Facts of The Karnali Bridge  

One of the most important facts of Karnali bridge is it is the 91st largest cable-stayed bridge in the world with a main span of 325 m. It is situated close to the Siwalik Fault of Nepal. 

The bridge has a single tower and two spans consisting of the main span of 325 m and a side span of 175 m. The cables are arranged in two vertical planes with 30 cables in each plane. 

The stay cables are made of polyethylene-sheathed strands composed of 7-mm diameter galvanized wires.

The tower consists of a stiffened hollow steel section with a height of 120 m above the bridge deck. The roadway is 11.3 m wide, with two traffic lanes. 

The Karnali cable-stayed bridge was designed by Steinman Boynton Gronquist and Birdsall, New York, USA, and the construction was completed by Kawasaki Heavy Industries of Japan in 1993.

The main components of the bridge towers and pier were represented by non-prismatic frame elements. 

Karnali river is known as Ghaghara in India. Pancheshwar is related to the Karnali river.