Projects like bridges and roads are easily started in Nepal. Influential leaders, parliamentarians, employees or anyone who has access to the highest levels of the state can easily enter their own projects in the budget of the government at the lower level. Contracts are also required for such projects.
Then the problem begins. Such projects are not completed for years. This is the common problem of all the bridge and road projects that are considered as development standards, except for one. The report on the management of sick contracts prepared by the team led by the Deputy Director General of Maintenance Division under the Road Department, Arjun Prasad Aryal, has mentioned that 153 bridges and roads with contracts worth 14 billion 15 million rupees across the country are sick. Such data suggests the need for review and improvement in all processes from project selection to completion.
We lack funds for development. For the financial year 2081/82, the federal government brought a total budget of 18 trillion 60 billion. Out of which 3 trillion 52 billion was allocated for capital i.e. development expenses, while 3 trillion 67 billion was allocated for financial management i.e. paying principal and interest of government debt. In other words, less amount is allocated for development than paying the debt. But since there is a budget deficit of around 5 trillion, the natural pressure of it is in the development budget. In essence, we have very little money allocated for development projects. However, it is not used well. If the project was completed on time, it could create a cycle of economic benefits. Such an opportunity is being lost.
is the most obvious infrastructure bridge in Nepal that is experiencing development, which is not completed for years. There are also examples where the progress report of projects that should have been completed years ago is only zero percent. There is uncertainty as to when these projects will be completed and the target groups will get the benefits. Where the project is started to benefit the people, the people of that place have to bear harassment for years. The misery created by dust and mud has become common, but even accidents have sometimes been caused due to the same project.
If the project is not completed on time, the government also incurs significant time and financial losses. The economic-social benefits to be gained from it, the confidence that it develops, the new opportunities and possibilities that are created have also been lost. The aspiration of development in all target groups, including the locals, is also being attacked. People's plans are thwarted when there is a delay in the possibility of reaping personal or collective benefits. Therefore, it is necessary to rethink about such sick projects and adopt a new style in all the processes from project selection based on the experience so far. There are some obvious reasons why
projects are not completed on time. Improvement efforts should also be sought there. Often the problem lies in project selection itself. Therefore, the trend of deciding projects based on the wishes of leaders or influential people without studying the feasibility should be improved. Even after the contract is awarded, the work of 'Site Clearance' is not done. In order to proceed smoothly with the project, the problems related to the forest/trees, religious places, houses, electricity and telephone poles/wires, private land in that area should have been resolved. The issue of compensation and environmental impact assessment should be finalized. Otherwise, you will get stuck in the work of the project at the very beginning. The work of the second section under the ring road extension or the Narayangadh-Butwal road extension could not be started on time due to lack of site clearance.
builders also have a lot of problems. They usually accept the amount and take over the project if it is impossible or difficult to build the project according to the specified standards. Then they cannot fulfill it or become serious. Therefore, it is necessary to find ways to make the amount to be paid in the case of awarding the contract reasonable and systematic. It is also found that contracts are taken and 20 percent of the money is taken, but it is not used to carry out the work in the related project, but it is also used to invest elsewhere. Although preparations were made to reduce 20 percent to 10 percent, it could not be implemented. If that could have been implemented, some improvements could have been made. On the other hand, there is a tendency for the same businessmen to contract in many places and to be stuck everywhere. There are also examples of authorized employees rushing to award contracts. There seems to be a greed to earn reputation by commissioning and organizing it. But even after the contract is awarded, they do not pay attention to whether the work is being done satisfactorily. Improvements can also be made if a system can be developed to hold construction professionals accountable for regular project progress reports. On the other hand, if a system is developed that rewards construction workers who complete work on time and penalizes those who delay without just cause, the chances of improvement will also increase.
