Delays in road construction bothers Kavre locals

By Kedar Timalsina,Banepa, July 14:The delay in road construction works in Kavrepalanchowk district has significantly caused inconvenience to the public. Travellers passing through Dhulikhel-Khawa and Bhakundebesi-Temal-Mechhe road sections of Araniko Highway are facing difficulties as the construction companies awarded with the contract have failed to complete the work on time. 

In recent days, travellers and commuters have faced difficulties due to the ongoing construction amidst continuous rainfall. The Bhaktapur Road Division Office awarded the contract for the Dhulikhel-Khawa road section to Gauri Parvati Construction Service Kathmandu on June 3, 2022 with a deadline of April 1, 2024. However, only 50 per cent of the work has been completed, three months past the deadline.

According to Meghraj Marasini, head of the Road Division Office Bhaktapur, the contractors had neglected the construction of the road. He informed that only 45 per cent of the work was completed even after extending deadline by three months. He said that the construction company had so far completed the cutting, drainage, sub-base and base works of two kilometres of the road from Dhulikhel to Pakucha. He said that there were no bases for extending deadline again.

The road construction was awarded at Rs. 201.9 million including VAT. According to the road division office, the construction company had already received Rs. 17.6 million for mobilisation and Rs. 14.6 million for construction work.

Meanwhile, progress on the Bhakundebesi-Temal-Mechhe road section has been similarly disappointing. Though road upgrading began with a two-year deadline, only 25 per cent of the work has been completed with just 17 days remaining. The contract between the Bhaktapur Road Division Office and KS/Devi Raman-Tej JV, signed on August 1, 2022, set a deadline of July 30, 2024.

Engineer Bindu Adhikari from the Road Division Office Bhaktapur said that only about 25 per cent of the work had been done on the Bhakunde-Mechhe road section. She said that the road work was delayed due to the non-performance of construction workers. The construction company was responsible for drainage construction, retaining walls and blacktopping over seven kilometres from Bhakunde of Namobuddha Municipality-4 to Dudepauwa of Ward No. 5 in the first phase and six and a half kilometres from Yangbel of Temal Rural Municipality-5 to Chapakhori of Ward No. 7 in the second phase.

The contract was awarded at Rs. 209.5 million including VAT. So far, only 18 per cent economic progress is seen in the road section. The construction company has already received a total of Rs. 35.6 million.