Key Takeaways:

• Only 71% of physical work has been completed on the nearly 100-km Bhedetar–Rabi–Ranke road after eight years
• The latest six-month deadline expires on Nov. 3, but officials say remaining works are unlikely to be completed on time
• Delays have been linked to Covid-19, land disputes, forest clearance issues, utility relocation, landslides and difficult terrain
• Residents and local leaders say the long-delayed project is affecting travel, tourism and local livelihoods

DHANKUTA, SEPTEMBER 20 The Bhedetar–Rabi–Ranke road project, aimed at connecting Dhanakuta, Panchthar and Ilam along the Mahabharat mountain range, remains incomplete eight years after construction began. The nearly 100-kilometre road corridor from Bhedetar in Dhanakuta to Ranke in Panchthar has achieved only 71 percent physical progress, according to project officials. Although the project recently received another six-month extension, set to expire on November 3, officials acknowledge that the remaining work is unlikely to be completed within the deadline. The contract for the road was signed in 2018 and has already undergone multiple deadline extensions. Project chief Ashutosh Karn said the contractor was expected to complete 50 kilometres of blacktopping during the latest extension period, but the target now appears out of reach. Progress has been comparatively better in the Dhanakuta section, while substantial work remains in Panchthar and Ilam. Of the 42 kilometres in the section under the project, 22 kilometres have received two layers of blacktopping, while 20 kilometres have been blacktopped only once, Karn said. Authorities attribute the delay to a combination of factors, including the Covid-19 pandemic, compensation disputes, forest-related hurdles and relocation of electricity infrastructure. The project achieved only around 12 percent progress during its first four years, largely due to pandemic-related disruptions. More recently, landslides and soil erosion have hampered construction. Engineers have also raised concerns over the road design because much of the alignment runs along steep mountain terrain. Cold temperatures and heavy rainfall have made it difficult to carry out the planned double bituminous surface treatment (DBST) paving, according to project officials. The road is expected to improve connectivity between Sangurigadhi and Chaubise rural municipalities in Dhanakuta; Kerabari and Letang in Morang; Phalgunanda and Miklajung in Panchthar; and Deumai, Phakphokthum and Mangsebung in Ilam, linking them more effectively with the Mechi Highway. Sangurigadhi Rural Municipality Chair Jitendra Rai said the road would significantly benefit residents of remote settlements and support tourism development along the route. However, local residents who once welcomed the launch of blacktopping work have become increasingly frustrated by years of delays and the persistent dust and mud created by the unfinished construction. Former Chaubise Rural Municipality Vice-Chair Yagyakumari Ruchal said residents had hoped the upgraded road would make travel easier, but growing delays have instead deepened public frustration.