Even after 21 months have passed since the contract for the construction of concrete bridge over Tila river connecting Seri-Pantadi of Karnali Highway, the work is still going on. Couldn't start. The contractor has been increasing the contract period of the bridge construction depending on the availability.

"Four years have passed since the contract for the bridge, the contractor has not started the work," said Khem Bahadur Singh, president of Mahabai Rural Municipality, "People have suffered because of the negligence of the contractor." He complained that the residents of Mahabai Rural Municipality could not connect to the Karnali highway because the bridge was not built in Pantadi. Chairman Singh said that 21 months have passed since the contract for the construction of the bridge was supposed to be completed according to the initial agreement.

'Available contractors have not worked. They have been extending the deadline sometimes because of local obstacles, sometimes because of floods and sometimes because of Covid-19," said Singh. "Even though the village council has repeatedly written letters asking for the bridge to be built quickly, there has been no response. Except digging a hole at the bridge construction site, no work has been done.

Ravi Singh of Mahadev Khimti Nirman Seva got the contract for the construction of a concrete bridge on the road connecting Birtamod of Khadachakra from Serighat in Kalikot on Chait 12, 2077, for the construction of a concrete bridge under the road department. In the contract, it is mentioned that the contractor should complete the construction of the bridge by June 12, 2080. 21 months have passed since the period ended. Contractor Singh said that the construction work was delayed because the design of the bridge was not approved on time. The late map was approved. He said that it was delayed because the locals stopped him from going to work on the side saying compensation. He is the Central President of the Construction Professionals Association.

The Vice President of Mahabai Rural Municipality Dansingh Sejuwal told that despite repeated requests to the builders and the Bridge Division for the construction of Pantadi Pavke Bridge connecting Mahabai and Shubhakalika Rural Municipality with Karnali Highway, the work could not be started. The team of the rural municipality must have reached Kathmandu 20 times for Pantadi Bridge. But the hearing did not take place," he said.

Devendra Bhattarai, Engineer of Bridge Sector No. 5 Office, Surkhet, said that the contractor did not work with many excuses. It seems that the contractor is trying to get away. On January 10th, a letter was sent to extend the deadline and pay the amount. We understand and send an answer to the letter," he said. He said that there is no work except digging a hole on the side.

The rural municipality submitted a letter of attention to Road Department Bridge Division Babramahl Kathmandu through Chief District Officer Ganesh Nepali on May 31 last year stating that the construction of the bridge has been delayed. On February 15, the municipality again sent a letter to the contractor firm Mahadev Khimti Nirman Seva asking why the work has not progressed. Sui Pokhrel, a resident of Gela, said that since a concrete bridge was not built on the Tila River, they were forced to walk from Pili and Birtamod to reach the village. After the construction of the bridge here, vehicles going from Surkhet to Jumla will connect to the Karnali highway from Pantadi in Gela via Bhartagad, Sukatiya, Mugraha without going uphill to Manm.

10.3 million completed in Belibridge construction 

It has been found that more than 100 million was spent to build Beilibridge before the concrete bridge construction contract was awarded. Karnali Highway Surkhet-Jumla road to connect Mahabai and Shubhakalika Rural Municipality with Karnali Highway 7 years ago for the construction of Pantadi Beilibridge over Tila river 10.3 million was spent, but currently there are no structures.

10.3 million has already been spent by the rural municipality and road department of Belibridge. Chitrasingh, a village leader of the United Socialist Party, who owns a large house, said that although the structures built around the river and some goods were swept away by the flood, they were also left in ruins. He said that although the goods of Belybridge were swept away by the flood, the tender for the concrete bridge has not yet started.

"For the construction of the bridge, the road department has already spent 3 million, while the Mahabai rural municipality has also spent 10 million," said Manraj Shahi, the former vice president of the rural municipality. The road department spent the money to transport the steel parts of the Beilibridge and raise the side wall, while the rural municipality spent the money to break the road construction rock up to the place where the Beilibridge is to be constructed.

In order to build a beli bridge in Pantadi, the road department had prepared a contract for the steel part of the beili bridge installed by the Nepalese army at Ramaghat in Dailekh, and the estimate of 14 million was prepared and contracted. Locals are complaining that the money has run out without the bridge being built as the contract was signed in March 2074 and the work should be completed by June 2075.

The contractor Akkal Bahadur Shahi said that although the contractor took the work from the contractor to build Pantadi bridge, the work could not be done because the steel parts were not bolted. The contractor, Bal Bahadur Basyal, entrusted the construction of Bely Bridge to Peti Contractor Shahi for 70 lakhs. "The work could not be done because the nuts and bolts of the old belay bridge did not match," said Shahi, a box contractor. He also complained that he did not get the amount of 10 lakhs that he had worked for. Shahi, a box contractor, said that 13 lakh rupees were spent on transporting steel parts from Malachaur in Dailekh to Belibridge, 900 sacks of cement and 20 quintals of saria were brought. According to Jumla, the Road Division Office is in the process of canceling the contract after the contract for the construction of the Bely Bridge has not been completed.