Kathmandu. The blacktopping of the origin section of the Pushpalal (Mid-Hills) Highway in Panchthar is still uncertain. The road in Panchthar is in limbo due to the negligence of the construction company. Even after six years of the contract, the construction work has not taken the expected pace. The contract for one of the three phases has been canceled.

The 51-km road from Chiwabhanjyang of Yangbarak Rural Municipality-1 to Darimba of Yangbarak Rural Municipality-4 is yet to be blacktopped.

The contract was signed for blacktopping in three phases, but no physical progress has been made more than 55 percent in any section. According to Shivaram Prasad Dev, a technician at the Pushpalal (Mid-Hill) Highway Project Office, Phidim, 16, 17 and another kilometers have been constructed in three phases.

The first package starts from Chiwabhanjyang, the point of origin. The contract was awarded to Roshan-Shivshakti JV for Rs 53.17 crore, so far the physical progress of this package is 35 percent.

The deadline has been extended four times in this package and according to the deadline extended for the last time, the construction work has to be completed by the month of June. However, due to the high hilly area, the construction work cannot be completed in the stipulated time due to excessive rainfall in the rainy season and cold in winter.

However, the main construction company has been carrying out the maintenance work of the road in recent times, said technician Dev. The contract agreement for the second package of about 17 kilometers was terminated on June 26.

The road is in limbo as the new contract is yet to be awarded. The Pushpalal (Mid-Hill) Highway Project Office, Phidim, terminated the contract after the contract was awarded to Santoshi Shivashakti JV for Rs 46.46 crore.

In this package, which was extended three times, the contract period had expired in mid-January last year. However, the construction company had filed a writ petition in the Biratnagar High Court, Ilam Bench seeking to cancel the decision to terminate the contract agreement.

Dev said that the Ilam bench refused to issue an interim order and ordered the submission of the original documents related to the contract agreement. The future of this package is still uncertain as it will take time to get the contract after the court process.

The third package, which starts from Yangwarak-4 Darimba, has also been extended five times. This package of about 17 kilometers is in the easiest place. The package has been awarded by Roshan-Shivshakti JV for Rs 46.36 crore, which has achieved 55 percent physical progress so far.

Although the contract agreement expired last April, the latest amendment of the Public Procurement Regulations has made a provision not to scrap the contracts that have achieved more than 50 per cent progress.

According to the office, a study is underway to extend the contract period of this package. Residents of the area have been drawing the attention of the local administration, talukdar bodies and government officials time and again as the blacktopping of the section at the origin of the Mid-Hill Highway is uncertain.

Nar Bahadur Gurung of Yangbarak-1, Chyangthapu, said, “The locals of this area are facing a lot of problems as the blacktopping that should have been completed four years ago is still uncertain. It is not certain whether the blacktopping will be done or not.” The blacktopping of the road has not progressed rapidly and floods and landslides have been damaging the slow pace of the work every year.

“The road construction work has not gained momentum as the landslides and floods have damaged the blacktopping works,” said Tejendra Rai of Yangwarak-1. ”

The Dobhane flood of Mewa River in Yangbarak Rural Municipality-2 in this section has been obstructing the blacktopping work even as the road has been blocked regularly. Locals have started expressing concern about the future of this road as the construction company has not been able to mobilize adequate resources and manpower for the construction work since the beginning.

Rajendra Khaling Rai, ward chairman of Yangbarak-1, said that the people of this area have been facing problems due to the negligence of the construction company. According to Dev, a technician of the Pushpalal (Mid-Hills) Highway Planning Office, Phidim, the construction work could not gain momentum due to the lack of adequate manpower, machinery, equipment and resources in the construction work. However, Dev said that the blacktopping work could not gain momentum due to obstructions caused by excessive rains, floods and landslides in recent years.