Damauli, June 16

Construction of a road section along the Martyr Buddha Singh Road that links Damauli with Ghumaune has been halted due to lack of budget in Tanahun.

Chief of Road Division Office, Tanahun, Bhanu Joshi said construction work along the road section was getting delayed due to lack of budget. “Road construction work could not gain momentum as the finance ministry did not release the budget on time,” he added.

Kanchha Lama Construction had been entrusted with the responsibility of constructing the road at the cost of Rs 22 crore.

Joshi added that the government had released only Rs 8 crore for the construction of the road this year.

“We will complete around 90 per cent work within this year,” he said, adding that lack of budget had caused the delay in construction of the road.

Buddha Singh Road Consumers Committee former chairman Bishow Bastola said the construction work could not move ahead even if foundation was ready for a motorable bridge over the Trishuli River along Narayangadh-Muglin road section from Ghumaune.

He added that the bridge would be completed at the cost of Rs 9 crore.

The road was opened at the initiative of Nepali Congress senior leader Ramchandra Paudel a decade ago. The road section was given top priority when Poudel was the local development minister.