Arun Gupta, information officer and senior engineer of the directorate, said that an agreement has been signed with MS Rajeshwari-Ramaniya-R&R JV for Rs 163.19 crore for road upgrading.
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The work of upgrading the Palpa-Rolpa road in the Harthok-Batase section of Palpa has progressed rapidly. The work has gained momentum with the award of a contract in the current fiscal year to upgrade and blacktop about 6 kilometers of the road.
According to the Transport Infrastructure Directorate, Lumbini, an agreement has been reached to complete the work by Asoj 26, 2084. Arun Gupta, information officer and senior engineer of the directorate, said that an agreement has been signed with MS Rajeshwori-Ramaniya-R&R JV for the road upgrade for Rs 163.19 crore.
Disputes are also taking place during the upgrade due to lack of coordination between construction entrepreneurs, locals, and the directorate. ‘The problem we are facing is the removal of the houses and huts,’ said Senior Engineer Gupta, the directorate’s information officer. ‘The work will gain momentum once the houses and huts are removed and the site is cleared.’ He said that due to complaints from local residents about lack of coordination, discussions were held with local people, rural municipality representatives, and construction entrepreneurs in the presence of Lumbini Provincial Assembly Speaker and Lumbini Provincial Assembly member elected from the same area, Tularam Gharti.
The directorate plans to meet with locals on-site to find solutions to the problem and complete the work on time. Issues such as the need to provide narrow roads and land to residents along the road during the upgrade have become complicated. Local Diwakar Aryal complains that there has been negligence in widening the road, installing retaining walls, and constructing the foundation.
Locals have complained about the lack of hoarding boards to inform about the nature of the work and lack of coordination with locals. Due to the old and narrow road, some houses next to the houses have to be removed. ‘During the process of removing such houses and encroaching on land, there has been some misunderstanding between the locals, construction entrepreneurs and the directorate,’ said local Saraswati Shrestha.
Some people in the road area are reluctant to give land. Some houses and huts have also fallen on the side of the road. ‘The issue of throwing boxes is normal,’ said local Suresh Thakuri, ‘The issue of throwing houses is serious.’ He suggests that the issue of people’s houses and huts and land should be worked on only by coordinating.
The Lumbini provincial government had announced six years ago that it would build a 300-kilometer road connecting Rampur in Palpa to Salyan Kapurkot via Rolpa. According to the same announcement, the work was started under the Provincial Gaurav scheme.
Lumbini Provincial Assembly Speaker and Provincial Assembly member elected from the same area, Tularam Gharti, said that the upgrading of the Harthok-Batase road section in Palpa has started in the current fiscal year. ‘The road had not been repaired in this area for 8 years,’ he said, ‘There were many complaints from the locals.’ That is why this time the budget has been allocated to this area and the upgrading work has been taken forward.’ He said that the problems faced by the locals will be resolved and the work will be facilitated to complete the road upgrading on time.
He said that the work has been progressed through the Lumbini Province Directorate of Transport Infrastructure to blacktop about 6 kilometers of the road with DVST double lanes. Municipality Chairman Narayan Bahadur Karki said that the initiative will be taken to prevent disputes on the road within Ribdikot Rural Municipality and to create an environment for timely work.
Although an agreement was reached for the construction of the road at a cost of around Rs 163.1 million, the Lumbini provincial government has allocated a budget of Rs 55 million for the Hartok-Chhahara section in the current fiscal year. The road will connect the hilly districts of Lumbini province and expand transport access to Karnali province. Although the Province Gaurav plan was launched six years ago with the aim of completing the work within 10 years, the directorate has stated that most of the work is yet to be completed due to budget constraints in the province. This road will benefit the residents of Arghakhanchi, Pyuthan, Rolpa and Salyan in addition to Palpa.
