There is a provision that the crusher should be closed after the specified work is completed. However, here, there are allegations that the crusher industry operated by Bidari Construction sold materials for other purposes than the specified work.
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Road projects here are rarely completed on time. Sometimes the contractor has repeatedly extended the deadline citing budget shortage, sometimes adverse weather, sometimes high cost, and sometimes epidemic.
But the 10-km road in the Maldhunga-Balewa section of the Kaligandaki Corridor has been left unpaved to allow crusher operations. After blacktopping this road, the contractor has stopped the work due to the obligation to close the crusher located in Kalakhola on the banks of the Kaligandaki River.
There is a provision to close the crusher after the specified work is completed. But here, there are allegations that the crusher industry operated by Bidari Construction has sold materials other than for the specified work. Locals said that the road was left unpaved to send goods to other sites of the contractor. The road from Ridi to Balewa of the corridor was already blacktopped by Kalika Construction last year.
When this section, which was supposed to be completed last year, was left unfinished, travelers have suffered. People from Baglung, Parbat, Myagdi and Mustang who want to go to Butwal in a short distance and those from Terai who want to come to Muktinath have been forced to travel long distances by road. The corridor has shortened the road by about 100 km from Butwal.
Locals have accused Bidari Construction, which was responsible for building the road from Maldhunga to Balewa in Baglung Municipality Ward No. 1, of not clearing the landslides to sell the materials on the road elsewhere, and of prolonging the blacktopping time and only excavating the materials.
Thaneshwor Subedi of Jaimini Municipality-7 said that instead of clearing the landslide that occurred in Kalkhola of Baglung Municipality Ward No. 13 last year, the contractor company is crushing the materials in a crusher and taking them to other projects. ‘This road has not been built because the contractor is transporting goods to other sites,’ said Subedi. ‘While other roads are already open, the road is being left stranded in the name of inconvenience at one or two places.’ Due to the lack of upgrading of the unpaved road near the landslide, those trying to travel in small vehicles such as microbuses and taxis have not been able to travel along the corridor.’
Large vehicles are also taking risks. Recently, passenger vehicles traveling from Baglung, Myagdi and Mustang, claiming to be a short distance from Butwal, have been stuck in traffic jams for hours due to the landslide in Kalakhola. There are complaints that trucks carrying food items have also come here and get stuck.’
Bidari Construction Engineer Dinbandhu Kafle said that the road work has been stalled due to the delay in clearing the landslide. ‘We did not deliberately delay the road, the work was delayed by last year's landslide,’ said Kafle, ‘We will finish blacktopping this road by mid-Asar.’ Kalika Construction had already blacktopped and handed over nearly 60 km of the same road section last year ahead of schedule. ‘The subbase has been laid in most places, now all that remains is to lay the base and blacktop,’ said Kafle, ‘The structural work is only left in two landslides.’ According to him, bitumen has also been brought in, so it will be blacktopped soon.
This road has been awarded a contract worth Rs 990 million. The company has also transported materials from its crusher for other contract work. ‘We have not taken the materials here and sold them elsewhere,’ said Kafle, ‘but we are using them in our own projects.’ He said that the construction of this road section has been delayed due to landslides, slope construction in the risk areas, and diversions from time to time due to the construction of culverts.
Three culverts are currently under construction on this road section. He said that after the construction of these culverts, the goal is to slope the slopes in the hilly and wet areas and blacktop other places. He admitted that the price increase and labor problems have caused some delay. Corridor engineer Shivlal Dahal said that the work will not be stopped due to problems such as budget payment. Dahal informed that the project is also urging the completion of the section quickly.
The road in this section of the corridor was blocked during the rainy season due to the landslide of Ecclesal. Construction work is still underway here. This road is blocked from time to time, causing problems for travelers going to Balewa, Jaimini and Bareng areas of Baglung. In addition, those traveling to Gulmi and Palpa also said that they were unhappy with the poor road condition.
Once this road section is blacktopped, it will take a maximum of four hours to reach Palpa from Baglung via Ridi. Those going to Butwal have recently started using this road. In addition, the Gandaki Province government is working on controlling the landslide in Eclesal with a separate budget. This landslide has also blocked the auxiliary road leading to South Baglung.
