Integrated Customs Building Construction at Rasuwagadhi Border Delayed

Rasuwagadhi. An integrated customs building has been under construction at the Rasuwagadhi border point between Nepal and China for a decade. Although construction began in 2073 BS with a target of completion in 3 years, it has not been finished even after 10 years.

Two buildings for security bodies and one for customs are being constructed here. ShyamSundar-Rabina JV had taken the contract for building construction for 54 crore rupees in 2073 BS. The agreement was to build 3 buildings in 3 years.

So far, 65 percent physical progress has been made in building construction, said Shashindra Ghimire, chief of the Integrated Urban and Building Construction Project, Dhading. According to him, the construction company has asked for additional time, stating they can finish in 6 to 8 months.

The delay in building construction is due to the lack of initiative from the company, workers not staying, and reasons like floods and landslides. The office plans to extend the deadline one last time and terminate the contract if the work is not completed.

The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction have also instructed to terminate the contract if the work is not completed, he said. 'Whatever happened before, the work should have gained momentum after 2080 BS. Since this is a risky place, workers tend to flee,' Ghimire added, 'We are currently pressuring them to finish the work quickly. We have told them that we will terminate the contract if they don't finish.'

The integrated customs building will house structures such as customs, immigration, security bodies, quarantine, check posts, and banks.

For the first one and a half years after the contract was signed, construction could not proceed due to a writ filed in court. Another construction company had filed a writ in the Supreme Court claiming that they should have been awarded the contract. Construction resumed after the writ was dismissed in Jestha 2075 BS.

Home Minister Sudhan Gurung has directed to expedite the construction work of the building by visiting the border himself.

During his visit to the border last Saturday, he urged the concerned construction entrepreneurs to increase the number of workers and speed up the construction work. Photo: Prakashchandra Timilsena/Nepal Photo Library