Ilam locals exert pressure to repair Nepaltar-Mangalbare road

By Kokila Dhakal,Ilam, Sept. 11: Locals living in the western part of Ilam district thronged Ilam Bazaar, the district headquarters, demanding maintenance of the Nepaltar-Mangalbare road on Monday.

The road tarred about 10 years ago has now worn out and become full of mud, making vehicular movements difficult. Even pedestrians cannot walk on the road when it rains.

Shree Bista. Vice-President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Deumai Municipality, said that there was a problem in transporting agricultural products and in the movements of school-going children due to the bad condition of the road.

Mangalbare is the centre of Deumai Municipality and a major market in the western area of Ilam, and one has to pass through the road to reach Mangalbare from the district headquarters.

In the 2022 election, the road was one of the major election agendas of the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML in Ilam. Even in the by-election held in April this year, the same road was key agenda. But nothing has been done to improve its condition.

"Now school-going children are facing a big problem in crossing the road," Bista said, adding,

"We are unable to transport agricultural products including milk, tea and vegetables produced in the western region of the district," Bista said.

Mohan Gurung, Acting Chairman of Ilam Municipality-1, said that 200 vehicles used to ply the Nepaltar-Mangalbare road section every day. "Earlier, the Road Division Office had carried out the repair work, which could not last long. Now there is no condition to ride the motorcycle, pedestrians also face the same problem," said Gurung, who arrived at the Road Division Office in the district headquarters on Monday to submit a memorandum.

The consumers who came to the district headquarters along with the people's representatives submitted a memorandum to the Road Division Office and the District Administration Office regarding the muddy road.

Earlier, the Road Division Office had awarded a contract for the repair of the road.

The contract was awarded to KM Construction to complete the work by July 5, 2022. As the work was not completed on time, the deadline was extended again till May/June 2024.

Manisha Kattel, site engineer at the Road Division Office, said that only 72 per cent of the work was completed during the period. "Only 72 per cent of the work was done out of the contract worth Rs. 9.7 million, but in the current fiscal year, no budget has been allocated from the head office for this road, that is why we are now in the process of terminating the contract." Kattel said, "In April/May this year, we prepared a file demanding an estimated budget of Rs. 105 million to complete work on the 12-kilometer Nepaltar-Mangalbare road and sent it to the centre.

According to Prem Subba, accounts officer at the Road Division Office, there is a problem with working on the road beyond the Mechi Highway unless the money is allocated from the centre.

Ilam Municipality and Deumai Municipality have allocated some amount to repair the road, but that has been insufficient. The road, which was earlier blacktopped by the federal government, has not been repaired even though there was confusion as to who owned the road for a long time.

Only recently, the road was handed over to the Provincial Government.

Minister for Planning and Economic Affairs of Koshi Province Ram Bahadur Rana said that a budget of Rs. 1 million has been allocated for the repair of the road.

"Earlier, Rs. 10 million was allocated, but the contractor could not work, now it has finally come under the Provincial government and we will allocate some budget to repair this road," Minister Rana said.