Kailali. The construction of five bridges under the Postal Road Project has been delayed due to lack of budget.

According to the Postal Road Project Office, the construction of two bridges in Dhangadhi has not been completed within the stipulated time. Although the deadline for the completion of these bridges has been extended by two years, only 65 percent physical progress has been made.

An agreement was signed with Malika Nirman Sewa Pvt Ltd on February 1, 2018 for the completion of two bridges of 25 meters length each on the rivulet connecting Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City-1 and 2 and ward no. 1 and 8 within 30 months.

According to the Postal Road Project Office, Dhangadhi, the construction of these bridges has been delayed due to lack of budget in recent years.

Similarly, a contract was signed with Shanti Nirman Seva Pvt Ltd for the construction of a bridge over the Dongda River in Punarbas Municipality of Kanchanpur on June 15, 2018 at a cost of Rs 335.533 million.

In the last three years, only two pillars of the bridge have been installed. According to the Project Office, only 30 percent of the physical progress of the bridge has been made.

The contract was awarded to construct rcc box culvert at TCN khola of Belauri-Daiji section of Kanchanpur. Malika Construction Service has completed 90 per cent of the work which was awarded on April 15, 2080 at a cost of Rs 31.269 million.

Neeraj Bhauneli Shreeyaj JV had taken a contract worth Rs 32.77 million for the construction of RCC box culvert at Amkhoiya Rivulet in Kanchanpur on July 1, 2080, but 70 percent of the work has been completed. The contract expired on October 15, 2018.

Ramesh Panta, engineer at the Project Office, Dhangadhi, said that the deadline for the contract of these under-construction bridges also expired in June.