Kathmandu, September 26

The government has failed to meet its road expansion and repair targets in the Kathmandu Valley in the fiscal year 2014-15.

According to the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the government managed to complete only 46 km of road sections against its target of 87 km in the last fiscal.

Similarly, nine kilometres of sewer pipes were laid and seven km of embankment constructed during the period.

Several road sections including Sinamangal-Ratna Park, Jadibuti-Pepsicola-Manohara, Bishnumati Corridor and Budhanilkantha Tokha are still in bad shape as the road division offices of Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur could not achieve the targets set for installation of utility poles.

Secretary at the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Shanta Raj Subedi, said lack of coordination among the concerned agencies of the government had resulted in the failure to meet the target set for road expansion and repair. He also blamed the local residents, procedural hassles and negligence of the contractors for the failure.

Subedi also informed that the concerned agency had laid 282 km of the total 800 km pipeline for the Melamchi Drinking Water Supply Project so far.

“Infrastructures built as part of city beautification project during the 18th SAARC Summit have also started losing their lustre due to lack of timely repair and maintenance,” he said.

The Kathmandu Valley Road Improvement Project was supposed to complete expansion and construction of 8.59 km road sections, though only 5.51 km road sections have been completed so far. Similarly, the division road offices of Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur fixed only 24 km road sections against its target of 42.4 km.

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City also failed to meet its target of constructing 26 km road sections as it managed to complete only 12 km road sections.

Keeping in mind the delay in construction and expansion of roads, the OPMCM has directed the concerned agencies to split their projects in three quarters and act accordingly so as to be able to meet their targets. “The concerned authorities have been told to give top priority to completing the much-delayed Sinamangal-Ratna Park road stretch as soon as possible,” the OPMCM informed.

Nepal Electricity Authority and Nepal Telecom have yet to accomplish the work of relocating electricity and telecommunication poles along the Koteshwor-Kalanki road section. The OMPCM has directed them to relocate the poles without delay.

Similarly, Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited has been told to coordinate with the Department of Roads to control water leakage as it damages roads.

The OPMCM has also directed the Kathmandu Valley Development Authority to demolish illegal structures built by encroaching on the roads. “Stern action will be taken against officials and contractors who compromise on quality and fail to complete their projects on time,” said Subedi.