Bhaktapur, January 23

Even two years after missing the deadline, progress on construction of the 15.66-km Kamal Binayak-Nagarkot road remains dismal.

The road project had been awarded to Sailung Construction Pvt Ltd and AIPL Construction (India) on June 16, 2014 by Department of Roads. Although the contractors were initially given two years to complete the project, the DoR had extended the deadline to November 2017.

However, only 40 per cent work on the road project has been completed so far.

Ishwor Bhomi, a resident of Kamal Binayak, said dust pollution had increased in the area due to delay in construction of the road. “This has created health risk for people living here. We want the road to be completed at the earliest.”

Chief contractor Naresh Babu Shrestha said, “Construction of the road got delayed due to blockade and elections. We also had to fall trees and construct drainage which took a lot of time.

Rakesh Kumar Jha, manager at Sailung Construction Pvt Ltd, said, “The deadline for completion of the road project has been extended till May and we are trying our best to complete the project on time.”

Jha also said that they were facing problems as people were demanding compensation for their land in areas where the road was being expanded.