Kathmandu, September 14

Plying on the Sinamangal–Baneshwor road section has been a major hassle for commuters and pedestrians alike. Shop owners and residents have also been suffering for one-year-and-a-half.

The road which gets worse with monsoon is covered with potholes and puddles and spares no one with its filthy dust and mud.

The 1.5-km stretch from Sinamangal to Baneshwor had been dug up for widening. The 10-metre wide road is now 14-metre wide. Expansion was carried out by Department of Roads last year.

Sections of the road have been dug to set pipelines for drainage and drinking water, wires of electricity authority and telecommunications and that has added to delay in construction of the road.

The foundation work for laying pipeline has heaped a mass of debris along the roadside, which has had a telling effect on businesses along the road and put the health of people at risk.

An official at DoR said locals had objected to demolition of houses along the Sinamangal-Baneshwor section in the initial stage and that was the main reason for delay in construction of the stretch. The groundwork for installing pipelines by KUKL was another reason for the delay.

“The DoR will start removing debris from the stretch after KUKL completes installation of water pipelines,” official said, adding, “The debris will be neutralised once gravel, silt, sand and sediments are spread over the road.”

Vehicular movement will be regulated along the stretch following the same. Footpaths will be constructed in the first phase. PR Construction has been handed over the project to expedite construction of the road stretch. Blacktopping of the roads is likely to be completed by this year.