Motorable bridge connecting Kushma and Phalebas remains incomplete after two years

Parbat. The motorable bridge connecting Kushma Municipality and Phalebas Municipality has remained abandoned for two years.

The bridge, which connects Simkhet in Kushma-10 Pipaltari to Sisathanti in Phalebas-3 Shankarpokhari, has been left in limbo due to the construction company's failure to complete the work on time. According to the Infrastructure Development Office, the project, which was contracted in the fiscal year 2080/81 with a two-year completion deadline, has only achieved 25 percent progress.

The construction of the bridge, which is scheduled to be completed by Asar 2082, has failed to gain momentum. No work has been done on the bridge for a year. Local resident Shiva Adhikari stated that although the pillars on both sides of the bridge were started, the contractor abandoned the site without completing the work.

After the initial contract period expired, the deadline was extended by six months. Infrastructure Development Office Chief Santosh Aryal reported that even with the extended deadline, physical progress remains at only 25 percent. The 20-meter-long bridge was contracted for Rs 25,028,667. The lack of progress has sparked outrage among local residents.

Residents are worried about the compulsion to cross the river at great risk during the approaching monsoon season. They noted that the haphazard excavation for the bridge foundation has left nearby settlements vulnerable to floods and landslides. Local resident Shiva Adhikari mentioned that the delay in construction has caused significant problems for the residents of the nearby settlement.

Without the bridge, the Simkhet-Sisathanti-Thapathana road remains blocked during the monsoon. Locals complain that while vehicles risk crossing the river during the winter, the road is completely shut down for four months during the rainy season.

Adhikari stated that their complaints to the District Administration Office and the Infrastructure Development Office have gone unheard. Set Square JV Rajbiraj, the company responsible for the construction, claimed that they could not complete the work on time due to the rise in the price of construction materials compared to the previous year.

Company head Rakesh Kumar Shah stated that the delay was caused by the significant increase in the cost of construction materials. The Infrastructure Development Office has urged the contractor to expedite the work. Office Chief Aryal warned that if the construction does not proceed rapidly, they will not grant further extensions, will terminate the contract, and will forfeit the security deposit.