Electricity Poles Hamper Progress on Key Prithvi Highway Expansion Project

Dhading. Electricity poles situated along the right and left sides of the road have become major obstacles in the expansion work of the Prithvi Highway.

The delay by the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) in relocating the poles near the roadside has obstructed the work on the Nagdhunga-Mugling Road Project. Especially in the eastern section of the Nagdhunga-Mugling Road Project, the expansion work is not progressing rapidly in areas including Naubise to Dharke Bazaar, Banchetar, Jarekhet, Belkhu in Galchhi Rural Municipality, and Ghatbesi, Pokharekhola through Gajuri Rural Municipality up to the vicinity of Gajuri Bazaar.

According to Keshav Raj Ojha, an engineer for the eastern section of the project, the work has reached a point where it must be halted due to the delay by the Electricity Authority in moving the poles. During the road expansion work, the project has either paved the road around the location where the poles are installed, or the work has been left incomplete after laying gravel. In many places, the area surrounding the poles has been excavated, leaving only the poles stranded, which has significantly increased the risk of accidents.

Although an agreement was made between the Development Assistance Implementation Division of the Department of Roads and the Bagmati Province Provincial Office of the Nepal Electricity Authority regarding the relocation of electricity poles required for the road expansion—with the road project bearing the cost—the implementation side appears weak. The Authority has assigned the task of relocating the poles to a contractor, and the contractor is delaying the work.

Engineer Ojha of the eastern section stated that out of approximately 500 poles that need relocation in the eastern section, about 100 poles remain, but the work on the main section is being affected because of these very poles.

Engineer Sher Bahadur Sunar of the Nepal Electricity Authority's Bagmati Province Provincial Office, however, claimed that there is no delay in relocating the poles and that the work is ongoing. "The work is in progress; it's a practical difficulty. I can provide further details after consulting with the contractor," he said.

The lack of coordination among the implementing agencies and the contractor's sluggishness are obstructing development work on a national pride project, especially on a sensitive area like a national highway, and are making travel increasingly risky.