DOTI, Feb 12: It has already been eight years since the construction work began. However, a bridge over the Seti River in Shikhar Municipality-10 in Doti district has witnessed only 20 percent physical progress. 

The Federal Road Supervision and Monitoring Office, Road Division Office, Kulpate had signed a contract with the Pushpa-Rajendra JV Construction Company in 2071 BS to complete the construction works by the end of 2074 BS. 

Negligence on the part of the contractor has been blamed for the inordinate delay. The agreement has already been extended four times, but the construction of the bridge is nowhere closer to its completion. 

The 320-meter long bridge linking the KI Singh Highway costs Rs 262 million including value-added tax. 

So far, Rs 32 million has been released for the project, said the Road Division Office. The contractor has cited COVID-19 and lack of workforce for the delay, said engineer Yogendra Bahadur Adhikari, also an information officer of the Road Division Office. 

Problems seen in the foundation of the bridge have caused the delay, according to the contractor.

 
• Seti_River
 
• Bridge
 
• Development