Locals spring into action to repair roads

By Rammani Dahal,Hetauda, July 28: Locals living near the Chakhel-Deurali-Dharapani road section of the road linking Hetauda with Satungal of Kathmandu have sprung into action to repair the road after the concerned ministry ignored the problems they had been facing because of poor road conditions. 

As the shortest road connecting Kathmandu to Hetauda, this route is often used by both public and private vehicles. The ministers of the Bagmati Province government themselves travel through the road. 

The road has been divided into two sections by the Bagmati provincial government, and the condition of the road on the Kathmandu side is worse compared to that on the Makwanpur side.

The local people's representatives and the road construction concern committee have drawn the attention of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development of Bagmati Province and its subordinate agencies to the delay in the construction work on both sections of the road. However, when the concerned authorities paid no heed to repair the road, the local people initiated the task, volunteering to repair the road by themselves on Wednesday.

Dutraj Titung, the Ward Chairperson of Makwanpur's Indrasarovar Rural Municipality-5, called for the voluntary labour from the public to renovate Chakhel-Deurali-Dharapani road section.

After the public appeal, nearly 50 people gathered in the ward on Wednesday for voluntary labour. Most of them were young people from the rural municipality who were living in Kathmandu for employment and study.

Titung said that vehicles slipping and getting stuck on the road are recurring problems because of flood and landslide. After the locals fixed the roads, Sumo and other private vehicles have started plying the roads with little to no hassle.

Titung told The Rising Nepal that the issue of poor road condition was discussed with the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure on June 30, 2023, but it fell on a deaf ear.

 “We apprised the construction company of the problems several times, but in vain,” he said. 

The Mahalakshmi Dobhan-Makaibari section is undergoing development through the Infrastructure Development Office, Chitwan, while the Infrastructure Development Office, Lalitpur has called bids to start the work on the section from Makaibari to Matatirtha-Satungal section.

An agreement was made with the construction company to complete both road sections within 18 months from the date of signing the agreement. Contract for Mahalakshmi Dobhan-Makaibari section was extended once and for Makaibari to Matatirtha-Satungal section thrice but the work has not been completed yet.

According to Titung, the extended contract has expired on both sections and they were confused whether to extend the contract or not.