By Sachin Pokharel
Itahari, Dec 1 : The construction of Pushpalal (Mid Hill) Highway, a national pride project, is going on in full swing in Province 1. Especially, the construction works of the highway in the Terhathum have been picking up the pace lately.
Following the directives and inspection of the administrative authorities in this area, the works for the completion of the national pride project have speeded up.
Citing that the area could be benefitted in many respects after the completion of construction works, Anoj Kumar Ghimire, Chief District Officer of Terhathum, directed the construction company to complete the Basantapur-Myanglung section of the district shortly. He has also requested other under-construction access highways in Terhathum to rapidly finish off the works.

CDO Ghimire has warned of legal action against the construction companies if they do not complete the works within the time specified in the contract agreement.
The Terhathum District Administration Office has issued a directive to the constructors to complete the works on time by maintaining the quality as promised in the agreement and submit the progress report twice a month to the office.

"The construction site will be inspected weekly and if it is found that the works have slowed down, action will be taken accordingly," said CDO Ghimire.
He added, "The current situation of roadways in the district has posed many difficulties to the public. Thus, I have decided to resolve all the issues relating to road infrastructures in my tenure."
Stating that he would make efforts, by all means, CDO Ghimire expressed his belief that Terhathum would have a well-facilitated road infrastructure by the end of his work tenure.

"Although the CDOs before me had time and again directed the contractors to complete their works on time, the latter took the directives lightly," complained Ghimire, adding, "Thus, I have requested the contractors to not make the decisions and directions of the DAO lightly."
Talking to The Rising Nepal, CDO Ghimire said that he had been frequently pressing the contractors to complete the project within the given deadline.

Meanwhile, all the concerned stakeholders have expressed their commitments to effectively manage the drinking water pipes, electricity poles, and wires during the construction of the highway.
Sanjaya Kumar Tumbahamphe, Mayor of Myanglung Municipality, Terhathum, assured that the local levels would help in resolving all the issues and would draw the federal and provincial government's attention if needed in order to complete the construction at the earliest.

Delay in construction of the roadways has affected the lives of Terhathum residents in many ways. Extreme muddy roads hamper traffic during the monsoon season.  
Moreover, engineer of Mid Hill Highway Manish Man Shakya said that the Myanglung-Basantapur road section would be blacktopped within mid-April in 2022. He said that the lack of necessary construction materials had delayed the works in the district. "Now that the problem has been solved, the construction will pick up the pace," he added. A total of 119 kilometres of Pushpalal Highway falls in the Terhathum district of which Myanglung-Basantapur section covers 25.5 kilometres.

CDO Ghimire said that priority had been given to this road section over other under-construction roadways of the district.
"Immediately after my appointment as CDO of Terhathum, I had assured the journalists and civil society members of the area that I would complete the construction of Myanglung-Basantapur section at any cost. Thus, I have been focusing on this section," said Ghimire.

The contract for the construction has been provided to three companies, which have expressed their commitments that the works will complete on time.

The Ministry of Finance has allotted a budget of Rs. 2.7 billion for the advancement and blacktopping of two-lane road in Myanglung-Basantapur section. Blacktopping of 10-kilometre Basantapur-Lasune section is being done by Kalika Bhabheshwar JV and 10.4 kilometres Lasune-Jirikhimti-Bagale section is being expanded by Aashish Ashraya JV.

However, works to open the track of 5-kilometre long Jirikhimti-Bagale-Myanglung section have not been completed yet.