Big project cost increase, progress is low

Last year, the lowest budget expenditure was in the Khulalu-Salisala section under the Karnali Corridor. Out of 65 crores allocated for this section, only 27 crores have been spent. In other words, only 41 percent of the allocated budget has been spent. The overall physical progress of this section is only 14 percent. This project was started from the year 2065/66. Construction is expected to be completed within 083/84. The total cost of this road section is estimated at 14 billion rupees. The total distance is 123 km with open track and 5 km gravel. Out of 13 concrete bridges under the project, 4 are under construction.

For the upgradation of Nagadhunga-Naubise-Malekhu-Mugling road, only 2.287 million rupees have been spent out of 9.56 billion 1.2 million allocated in the last year. That is, only 21.22 percent has been spent. The progress of this section is only 22 percent. Passengers have to suffer since the construction started. Around 20,000 small and big vehicles pass through this section every day, so there is not a day without traffic jams.

This road has been contracted by dividing it into three sections. Upgrading has been started with the loan assistance of the World Bank. The construction of the first section of 12.26 km Nagadhunga-Naubise was signed at a cost of 1.3 billion 84 million rupees and the construction was started from 26th June 2079. Although it is supposed to be completed within two years, even after 25 months of construction, the physical progress is only 57 percent. After the work was not completed by June 27, the deadline has been extended until next January, but the progress is low.

The distance of the second section Noubise-Malekhu, which was awarded for 5 billion 33 million 19 million, is 43.54 km. The contract was signed on 14th Baisakh 079 and the mandate was issued on 26th May. According to the initial agreement, the upgrade should be completed within 082 June 25. Only 21 percent of this segment is progressing.

Ishwar Bahadur Rizal, Head of Planning of Eastern Section of Nagadhunga-Mugling Road Project, said that 90 percent of the construction of road infrastructure (drainage, wall) in Nagadhunga-Naubise section has been completed. "The first level of the four km road has been paved," he said. The third section of 38.86 km, Malekhu-Mugling, has been awarded a contract for 4 billion 805 million rupees. According to the agreement on 15th January 2015, it should be completed within three years. However, the progress so far is only 15 percent.

Another project where the cost and overall progress is low is the Narayangadh-Butwal road. Only 46.98 percent of the allocation of 7 billion 44 crore 92 lakhs for this project was spent last year. That is, 3 billion 49 million 92 million rupees have been spent. The construction of this project, which started on Chait 8, 2075, has progressed only 53 percent so far. The contract for the 113 km road extension was taken by China State Construction Engineering Corporation. The deadline was extended for the second time till July 8, 2008. An additional year has been added as it expires. Chudaraj Dhakal, project head of the Directorate of Projects (ADB), said that the decision to increase the speed of work was made. "Now the work should be completed within the extended time," he said, "only 26.5 kilometers of the road has been paved on both sides."

Road upgrading has been started with the loan support of Asian Development Bank (ADB). According to the original contract, the deadline was to complete the work within 22 July 079. By dividing it into two parts, the contract amount is 16 billion 99 million 52 lakh 96 thousand rupees. "The work has not been as expected," said Dhakal, "we are pressing to complete the work quickly." According to the data provided by the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, only 2.47 billion rupees have been spent out of the allocation of 4.53 billion 81 million rupees for this project last year. That is, only 54.63 percent has been spent. Its construction was started on October 4, 2007 to be completed within 42 months. However, even after 56 months, vehicles have not been able to pass through the tunnel.

It is claimed that the construction project of Nagadhunga tunnel was not completed on time due to the impact of Covid-19 and the local movement. According to the initial agreement, the project duration was till 080 Baisakh. As the work was not completed, the deadline was extended till 13 Baisakh 081. Now the deadline has been extended by one and a half years. Naveenman Shrestha, head of the project, said that if there is no problem, the work will be completed within the extended time. According to him, the overall physical progress of this project is 77.62 percent.

Under this project, 'break through' was done on 080 July of the emergency tunnel and 081 May of the main tunnel. Finishing of flyovers, access roads and tunnels is now underway. "We are working so that vehicles can be driven through the tunnel on November 26, 2082," he said. The construction of the tunnel is being done by the Japanese company Hazma Endo Corporation.

It has been 17 years since the construction of the Madhyapahari highway, so far its physical progress is only 76.77 percent. The government started this project in 064/65 to connect 215 settlements in 26 districts of Madhya Pahar. After the completion of the project, it is estimated that 1 crore people will benefit. The work was started to build a two-lane black paper road from Chiwabhanjang in Panchthar in the east to Zhulaghat in Baitadi in the west.

Out of 1,879 km, 462 km of roads are under other projects, so only 1,417 km are responsible for project construction. So far, 1,445 km of tarmac and 150 bridges have been constructed. As the work cannot be completed within the stipulated time, the deadline is being extended till the financial year 083/84. According to the initial agreement, its work should be completed in 073/74.

93.96 percent of the allocation of 4 billion 47 crore 84 lakh for this project in the last fiscal year has been spent. Thaneshwar Khatri, Project Director of Madhyapahari Highway Directorate, said that due to lack of adequate budget allocation, there is a problem in increasing construction progress. "There is a problem because we cannot transfer the budget from one project to another," he said The project claims that the progress of work can be increased. The progress of Gaurav's project Hulaki Highway, which was started from 066/67, is 66.91 percent. Its construction should be completed by 079/80. Final preparations are now being made to extend the time till 083/84. It is estimated that the project will cost 1 trillion 1 billion rupees. Since the start of the project, 1 thousand 232.68 km of roads have been paved. There is also a budget problem in this project. The Postal Highway Project Directorate said that due to insufficient budget allocation, the work has not progressed as expected. The distance of this highway is 1857.42 km. Out of this, 882.42 km are subsidiary roads.

It has been 6 years since the construction of Madanbhandari highway started, connecting Bahundangi in Jhapa to Rupal in Dadeldhura. So far the progress of this highway is 49.33 percent. Construction started on 075 May 6 to be completed within 081/82. Due to lack of sufficient budget, the work is getting affected. As a result of which the work could not be completed on time, an extension of time has been proposed for the financial year 084/85. Deep Barahi, Head of Madan Bhandari Highway Project Directorate, said that there is a budget problem to speed up the project. The total distance of this highway is 1,390 km. Out of this, only 740 km is within the scope of the project. The remaining 650 km are being looked after by other projects under the road department.

22 billion 50 million 38 lakh rupees were allocated for the Kathmandu-Tarai/Madhesh expressway (fast track) last year. But this project could not spend the full amount. Sushilbabu Dhakal, Joint Secretary and Spokesperson of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport said that they surrendered to the Ministry of Finance saying that they could not spend 4 billion 59 million 28 lakh rupees. "Since some of the said money came in physical form, we made it available to the completed projects," he said. But as the construction cannot be completed in that period, the deadline has been extended till 083 Chait. In areas other than Khokna, work is being done through contract management. From May 074, the army has been entrusted with the management of its construction. So far, the physical progress of the project is only 35.38 percent. He says that although there is a possibility of work on some projects, the budget is not available. Such a problem is more prominent in road projects. "Last year, the capital expenditure of the physical ministry was 73.12 percent," said Dhakal, the spokesperson, "If the remaining amount had been paid, the expenditure percentage would have increased further."