KMC earmarks Rs 800m for fixing potholes

Kathmandu, October 24

Kathmandu Metropolitan City has earmarked Rs 800 million for fixing pits and potholes on roads in the city. KMC plans to set aside Rs 250 million for the first phase of road repair, while the remaining Rs 550 million would be released for the second phase.

Joint-Spokesperson at KMC Namaraj Dhakal said road repair work would begin in a month. “We will divide the first allocation of Rs 250 million among five maintenance packages and start repair work from Mid-November this year.” Dhakal told The Himalayan Times.

KMC hopes that after pits and potholes are fixed, all kinds of vehicles would be able to run smoothly on Valley roads.

Earlier, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba had given the authorities till July 30 to fix pits and potholes on Kathmandu roads. The PM had issued such instruction after a schoolgirl Binita Phuyal died after falling into a pit at Nepaltar.

According to a progress report submitted to the prime minister by Central Regional Road Directorate, only about 80 per cent road repair work had been completed within the deadline. The CRRD had said rainfall prevented itfrom completing the remaining work.

At that time Mayor Bidhya Sundar Shakya had said KMC would repair roads in the Valley only after the monsoon season ended. He had said filling potholes during the rainy season was a waste of taxpayers’ money.