Maheshpur Customs Road Construction Delayed, Contractor Cites Asphalt Price Hike

Palhinandan. The construction of the Maheshpur main customs road connected with neighboring friendly nation India has not been completed despite repeated deadline extensions. The construction of a one-kilometer road from Maheshpur in Bardaghat Susta West Nawalparasi to Harpur and a 500-meter road in Sunwal Bazaar was awarded to Gaurishankar Himalayan Construction Company by the Road Division Office, Butwal, under the Department of Roads, Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport.

Although the contract was signed on 2080/01/26 with the construction to be completed by 2081/01/26, only 65 percent of the road work has been completed so far, said Engineer Sushil Poudel of the Division Office, Butwal. According to him, the contractor has not been able to complete the work on time due to delays in moving electricity poles and water pipes.

Engineer Poudel stated that the deadline for the completion of the Maheshpur road has been extended for the third time (final) until Jestha. However, the contractor has now stopped work, citing an increase in the price of asphalt. Dilip Lama of Gaurishankar Himalayan Construction Company said that they could not complete the work on time due to the lack of asphalt.

Ward Chairman Jagdish Gupta of Palhinandan Rural Municipality-2 said that after the construction entrepreneurs did not carry out the road work on time, it has become unbearable to stay in the courtyard due to dust, travelers have to cover their noses and mouths while commuting on the road, and freight vehicles coming from India are facing problems in commuting.

He says, "Due to the non-completion of road construction on time, it is dusty when it is not raining and muddy when it is raining, and the public is suffering. The state's money has been wasted due to the dishonesty of the construction entrepreneur, and the public has suffered."