Calls for contracts for the reconstruction of the roads damaged by the floods last October have been started. The process has been started by calling for contracts for three of the four packages of the BP highway which suffered the most damage.
The contract has been divided into three packages, one at Sindhuli and one at Kavre. All packages have been invited for 30 days contract . On February 28, the contract for the Nepal wholesale-Barkhekhola section was signed towards Sindhuli. Where a two-lane road will be constructed on a five-km stretch. Similarly, the contract for the 8.5 km section from Dalabensi to Char Saibensi in Kavre section has been completed on Chait 5.
Suman Yogesh, Head of Road Division Bhaktapur, said that the contract for the 11 km section from Char Saybesi to Bhakundebesi was called for on 7th of Chait. He said that the contract of about 3.5 km section from Dalabesi to Barkhekhola can be finalized by Tuesday. "It is up to Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to work in this section," he said, "There will be a decision by Tuesday, otherwise we will proceed with the contract process on our own."
Kavre and Sindhuli sections will be constructed according to the standard of two lanes in 28 km, he said. Currently, temporary maintenance work is being done on the BP highway in view of the coming monsoon.
The contract has been invited for the Makwanpur side of the Kanti Highway connecting Lalitpur to Makwanpur's Hetaunda Bazar. According to Ratnalakshmi Bajracharya, head of Kanti Highway Road Planning Office, a contract has been awarded to manage three landslides towards Lalitpur. He said that the remaining section of Lalitpur will be awarded within a few days. Arjun Prasad Aryal, spokesman and deputy director general of the road department, said that the contract for Thankot-Chitlang road was also awarded on Monday.
'We are also preparing to contract for Arani Highway and Mechi Highway,' he said, 'Cost estimates are being submitted and discussed, we will manage the contract for all the road sections damaged by the flood within March.' According to him, it will take time to manage the contract for the bridge damaged by the flood. With the approval of resources of 20 lakh rupees from the Ministry of Health for the construction of roads and bridges damaged by floods, the call for contracts for reconstruction has been started.
