KATHMANDU: Even after six years since start of construction of Bheri Bridge connecting Jajarkot and Rukum at Mid-Hill Highway, the project contractor is yet to lay the foundation and raise pillars for the bridge, let alone project completion.

Moreover, locals in the region have expressed utter discontent over negligence of the contractor YP Construction who had bagged the project contract for Rs 130.4 million with an agreement to finish construction within three years.

“Nepal’s governance system has undergone a change but attitude towards work is still the same,” Ward Chair Gopal Bahadur Batala said, “In absence of a bridge, residents of Chaur Jahari in Rukum and Kudu in Jajarkot are not yet connected, despite residing in the same province. Locals in the region feel as if they live in two different nations that lack connectivity.”

Although road construction along the Mid Hill Highway has been expedited in recent days, lack of critical bridges such as Bheri bridge would render the highway useless,” Jajarkot District Coordination Committee  Chief  Mann Bahadur Rawal said.

According to Rawal, Home Ministry has failed to take action against the contractor based at Lalitpur, despite authorities blacklisting the contractor as per Home Ministry’s- yet to be implemented- action plan against negligent contractors.

Moreover, when THT called YP Construction Director Raju Prasad Shrestha, he denied talking on the issue citing that a relative of his has been hospitalised at present.

Meanwhile, the Project Director Udhhav Khatri said that the construction works have been left in lurch for shortage of funds.

(Translated/Edited by- Prahlad Rijal)