Banpath-Khayarmara remains incomplete, deadline extended twice

By Our Correspondent,Bardibas, Sept. 7: Due to failure to complete construction on time, the Banpath–Khayarmara road, which passes through Bardibas Municipality Ward Nos. 10 and 11, has become entangled in controversy. 

Despite being only 5-km long, uncertainty surrounds the road's completion even as the fourth year of construction nears its end. Delays by the contractor, budget disputes, and administrative weaknesses have all contributed to the situation.

Though the road appears short in length, it holds significant commercial and strategic importance, as it connects the East-West Highway in the south with the Indian border, and in the north, links Khayarmara–Marinkhola to the Madan Bhandari Highway.

According to Mayor Prahlad Kshetri, this road is considered a cornerstone for developing the remote areas of Bardibas, and repeated requests have been made to the concerned authorities to complete the work promptly. "It is unfortunate that there is still negligence in construction," he said. 

Under the Madhesh Province Government’s programme ‘One Electoral Constituency, One Road’, the Detailed Project Report of the project was prepared, and the construction process began in the fiscal year 2020/21. According to the Infrastructure Development Office in Jaleshwar, in the FY 2021/22, Pushpanjali Construction Pvt. Ltd., Kathmandu, was awarded the contract for Rs. 55.86 million.

As per the contract, the road was to be completed by mid-January 2024. However, only 1,600 metres have been blacktopped by now. According to the Infrastructure Development Office, the contractor has already received a payment of approximately Rs. 26.9 million.

Engineer and site in-charge of the Infrastructure Development Office, Mahottari, Bijay Sah, said that multiple correspondences were made to accelerate the remaining work. At the contractor’s request, the deadline was extended twice. Yet, the road remains incomplete.

In an attempt to show progress, the contractor carried out primer work twice on the remaining section. However, delays in blacktopping resulted in both primers going to waste. As the base layer deteriorated and potholes increased, travel along the Banpath–Khayarmara section has become increasingly difficult.

Engineer Sah said, “Only 2,800 metres of blacktopping now remain. The contractors claim they will complete the work soon, but despite applying primer twice and spending around Rs. 2 million, no progress has been made. We are unsure why the work hasn't moved forward.” Repeated attempts to contact Amar Mandal and Birendra Prasad Sah - of Krish Construction Pvt. Ltd., a subcontractor of Pushpanjali - were unsuccessful.

According to the Infrastructure Development Office, the contractor company has already received around Rs. 26.9 million in payments. Local social activist and resident, Poshan Thapa, raised a pressing question: “Who is accountable for the negligence, when a 5-km road that should have been completed by January 2024 still remains unfinished even after multiple deadline extensions?”