Himalayan News Service

Lalitpur, May 11:

The long planned construction of six overhead bridges in various busy traffic junctions of Lalitpur sub-metropolitan city seems to be hanging in the air. It was scheduled to be completed by this July, but except the one at Pulchowk, there is no sign that such work is being carried out. It looks like the construction plan has been caught in the tug-of-war between the metropolis office and various related departments. Lack of sufficient homework by metropolis officials is the cause of delay, blamed various ward chairpersons. Ward-17 chairman Suresh Shahi said, “Construction of bridges is delayed as the telephone department has denied permission to dig in certain places.”

Ward-5 chairperson Laxmi Maya Maharjan also shared a similar opinion, except in her case it was the electricity corporation that was causing the delay. “The construction work was stopped in Pulchowk as the corporation complained that it’s construction will narrow their entrance,” said Maharjan. Besides, the telephone and electricity bodies, the road department is also responsible for the delay. It stopped the construction works in various places saying it would narrow the road. “It is not just these departments, but municipal personnel themselves are to blame for the delay,” said a high official of the sub-metropolis on condition of anonymity.

He said the officials worked in a hurry without any coordination with the respective bodies.

Earlier the bridges were supposed to be constructed on lease by Innovative Concept over a period of 25 years. But now DHL is to construct the bridges on a lease of 15 years, informed Shahi, talking to this daily. This change in the contractors is another cause for the delay, according him. Locals however put lack of decision-making power and far-sightedness in the metropolis officials as the causes for the delay. “It is nothing but a lack of proper vision to work for the welfare of people,” said Dilip Tamang, owner of a manpower agency in Hariharbhawan.