Jhapa. The government has decided to impose a fine on the Pappu Mahadev Khimti Joint Venture (JV) Company for delaying the Kankai Bridge connecting Jhapa Rural Municipality-2 and Gaurigunj Rural Municipality-1 along the Postal Highway for 14 years.
The Directorate of Postal Highways, Itahari has issued a 35-day public notice to the JV to submit Rs 1.99 billion to the revenue account as per the Public Procurement Act.
The notice stated that if the amount is not paid within the stipulated time, the property of the construction company will be recovered as the government dues. Yubaraj Pokharel, chief of the office, said that for the first time, the construction company has seized Rs 1.71 crore as bank guarantee for the construction of the bridge and collected it in the revenue account.
He said, “We have recommended the Public Procurement Monitoring Office in the blacklist and kept it in the blacklist for three years.” Pokharel said that the company has been blacklisted for three years on the recommendation of the Public Procurement Monitoring Office.
The contract for the construction of the 723-meter long Kankai bridge was signed on June 14, 2015 at a cost of Rs 340.9 million. However, the project had decided to terminate the contract with the JV in November last year after only 56 percent of the work was completed even after extending the deadline five times.
According to the Public Procurement Act, the valuation amount has been released by adding additional cost to complete the incomplete work, difference between the old condition and the current cost and various fines.
He has also written to stop the payment received by the contractors from other offices under the Department of Roads. He said that if the amount is not deposited within the stipulated time, the process of recovery will be initiated through the Tehsil Office.
Locals have been facing a lot of problems due to the lack of bridge for the past one and half decades and they have to cross the temporary bamboo bridge in winter and risky boat travel during the rainy season.
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