Bhakunde-Temal road construction: Mere 10 percent progress in 20 months

Though the contract for the Bhakunde-Temal road construction project is expiring after four months, the project has so far seen only 10 per cent progress. The contract was signed between the Road Division Office, Bhaktapur and KS Devi Raman Tejaju of Lalitpur some 20 months back ( July 2023) for completing the construction work in two years.

Due to the sheer negligence on the part of the contractor, the work of upgrading and paving the 25-km road from Bhakundechowk of Namobuddha Nagar to Mechhe of Temal Rural Municipality via Narayansthan is not likely to be completed on time.

A budget of Rs 208.9 million was allocated for the road construction project. So far, only walls have been constructed at some places along the road.

Ward chair of the  Namobuddha Municipality-4, Arjun Karki said the project has been in a shambles despite repeated reminders to the contractor to expedite the work. “The project saw good progress in the beginning. But now it is moving at snail’s pace with the unwarranted delays in the construction work”, he said.

The locals have threatened to launch an agitation against the contractor as they are compelled to suffer dust in winter and slippery mud in the rainy season while walking on the road. Attributing their ordeals to the lack of continuous monitoring by the concerned authorities, they are demanding the completion of the construction work at the earliest.