Electric Poles Hamper Upgrading Work on Naubise-Malekhu Road Section

Kathmandu. The upgrading work on the Naubise-Malekhu road section is being severely hindered by electric poles. If the work had been completed on time, this road would have been blacktopped by now. However, the failure of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) to remove the poles from the road in a timely manner has added serious challenges to the construction.

This project, for which the contract was signed on Baisakh 14, 2079, is not achieving progress as per its target. This 43.54-kilometer road, being built with loan assistance from the World Bank, is considered the 'lifeline' of Nepal. According to Project Chief Keshav Ojha, the necessary budget for relocating the poles was deposited into the Authority's account a year and a half ago. However, the work is slow because the contract awarded by the NEA has not been effective.

Specifically, more than 200 poles need to be relocated in the Dharke Bazaar and Banchhetar sections. The cost for the road upgrade is 5 billion 33 crore 19 lakh rupees. Due to the NEA's inability to manage the poles, electric poles have been paved over with blacktop right in the middle of the road in several places.

Technicians state that paving the blacktop over the poles remaining in the road could lead to accidents in the future. Although the construction company has repeatedly urged the NEA to remove the poles from the road, the work is proceeding slowly. Although the contract stipulated blacktopping within three years of starting construction, the lack of momentum suggests it will take some more time.

The construction work is also likely to be affected for some time due to the House of Representatives election scheduled for Falgun 21. According to Gyanendra Ghimire, a representative of the construction entrepreneurs, they are unable to meet the targets because the electric poles have not been moved. More than 200 electric poles need to be relocated in this road project area.

Despite repeated reminders to the NEA to move the poles, the work has not advanced. The problem with poles is particularly severe in market areas. He complained that the pace of work could not be increased in the Dharke Bazaar section due to the obstruction caused by electric poles. Similarly, to exert pressure on the Authority, the blacktopping has been done with electric poles left in the middle of the road in the Banchhetar section.

Meanwhile, Project Chief Keshav Ojha of the Nagdhunga Mugling Road Project Eastern Section stated that the project is diligently carrying out the work falling within its jurisdiction. Although the necessary budget for the NEA to relocate the electric poles was deposited into the Authority's account a year and a half ago, the work is not progressing as targeted.

Although the NEA awarded a contract for relocating the poles falling within the road area, the problem arose because the contractor who took the contract for pole relocation could not effectively mobilize their team, according to his argument. Even as the deadline for road construction is expiring, the project has failed to move the electric poles within its area, leading the construction side to claim obstruction to their work. —News Agency Nepal