Mid hill highway’s Parbat section works resume

Kathmandu - The construction works of Parbat section along the mid-hill highway – which were stalled following the coronavirus pandemic have resumed now. As informed the construction process that has been halted since March 21 has resumed after a hiatus. The Lama Construction Company which was awarded the contract for the construction of the Parbat section of the mid-hill highway began its works after the letup in rain.

Though the contract period for the construction expired in mid-September, only 60 percent progress has been made so far. “Lockdown halted the construction works but now it has taken its speed”, project manager of the Construction Company Govinda Bhusal said. He also shared that the blacktopping would be initiated after the Dashain.

According to the Construction Company, the contract amount of Rs 839.8 million was signed for the up-gradation of around 23.77-km from Parbat entry point to Maldhunga. Of the 23-km Parbat section, 95 percent structural works have been completed. Blacktopping has been undertaken on a 5-km road from Baglung broder Maldhunga to Nayapul.

As the floods and landslides caused damages in some portions of the road section there needs re-blacktopping. “We are planning to complete remaining construction by the current fiscal year i.e mid-July 2021”, Bhusal added. Mid-Hill Highway Project Office Parbat chief Ashish Thapa Magar also assured to complete backlog of construction works by the end of the current fiscal year as the additional human resource and other resources have been made available to the management.

Meanwhile, the Kushma Bazaar road section of Parbat would also be made a four-lane along with the up-gradation of Pokhara-Baglung section of the mid-hill highway. Project chief Thapa Magar shared that around 2-km road from Khareha of Kushma to Damdare rivulet would be made a four-lane. The project has intensified maintenance works to give a new look to the 72-km Pokhara-Baglung road section, Thapa informed.