Ritha-Chankatte road construction at snail’s pace

KATHMANDU, March 8: The construction of the Ritha-Chankatte section of Budar-Jorayal road in Doti district has not progressed. The road construction has witnessed merely 10 percent progress although the contract period of the project will expire after four months.

As informed, the contract was signed in Asar 2077 BS with an obligation to complete the construction in three years. Locals blamed that the construction works did not progress due to sheer negligence of the contractor.

The contract was signed with Sharma-Rajendra JV for the up-gradation of the road through the Sudurpaschim Province government budget for the fiscal year 2076/77 BS. As per the contract, the construction has to be completed by Asar 2080 BS.

"So far the road construction has seen 10-12 percent progress," said chief of Infrastructure Development Office, Dadeldhura, Nawaraj Rawal, adding, "There is almost no possibility to meet the deadline." He also accused the contractor of dilly-dallying in the construction work.

The contractor, however, has tried to justify the delay saying that the construction was delayed due to reasons including COVID-19. A representative of the contractor company, Roshan Bhatta said they were effortful to complete the construction works within the stipulated time. He claimed that eight kilometers out of the 10-km road section would be constructed in time.

Jorayal-4 Ward Chair Nandaraj Bhatta complained that the contractor was turning a deaf ear to complaints regarding the delay in the construction. Due to the lack of embankment construction along the roadside, houses of the locals are on verge of erosion, he added.

(RSS)