Cold storage in Palpa sees minimal progress even 10 years after its construction

Published On: December 25, 2022 08:18 AM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

PALPA, Dec 25: Construction of a cold storage at Tansen Municipality-7 in Palpa district has been left in limbo, thanks to sheer negligence of the contractor.

The construction works had started 10 years ago with an agreement to complete the work within two years, but it has witnessed just 27 percent progress till date. According to the municipality, the project with a capacity of storing 2,000 tonnes of seeds, agricultural products and fruits aims to provide service to farmers of Palpa, Gulmi, Argakhanchi, Syangja and Parbat districts.

The proposed cold storage will be 33 feet tall, 26 meters long and 14 meters wide,

The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu provided financial assistance for the project.

The construction companies, Himdung & Thokar and Jaya Raktakali JB, had won the contract worth more than Rs 49 million on March 6 , 2013 with the completion deadline of June 6, 2014.

"Negligence of the construction companies has caused the delay. Completion deadline has been extended five times. Now, they have applied for the deadline extension once again. We are not assured that the project will be completed," said technician Tikaram Somai, who works for the municipality.

The companies have received a payment of over Rs 20 million so far. Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy has inspected the cold storage. Second secretary at the embassy, Prashant Sona has asked for the resumption of the project, according to the municipality's information officer, Bharat Acharya.

The municipality has written to the construction companies to pay Rs 4.8 million in fine for not completing the project within the deadline.

Now, the municipality is in favour of completing the project even by awarding the contract to a new construction company. "The project is linked with the pride of Tansen Municipality. We will complete the project even by awarding the contract to a new company. Palpa is a fertile land for agriculture. Farmers here grow orange, akabare khursani (chili) and ginger, and draw thousands of rupees in income," said the municipality's spokesperson Yadav Singh Karki.

(RSS)