Kathmandu, July 22:

The road at Kalanki intersection was dug a few months ago for repair. However, the completion of the task seems nowhere in sight.

Though the Kathmandu Valley Road Expansion Project targeted to repair and blacktop the road by July 15, it has so far only dug one kilometre section of the road.

Prem Krishna Manandhar, a Kalanki resident, said the road division had promised to blacktop the road within this fiscal year, but they halted the work on different excuses. Locals say the waste accumulated beside their homes has been causing an adverse effect on their health.

Sangita Kafle, a cosmetic shop owner, said locals had been finding it hard to breathe during the traffic jams.

“The road division needs to finish the work as soon as possible, as the issue concerns the health and daily life of the locals,” she added.

Senior Division Engineer and project manager of the Kathmandu Valley Road Expansion Project Keshav Kumar Sharma said they had targeted to complete the repair within this fiscal year. But due to the fuel crisis, they could not complete the task.

Who is responsible

During a very short span we have nearly completed the project, but due to the fuel crisis we are unable to complete the repair work.

So far we have spent Rs 55 million of the Rs 90 million allocated for the project.

The rest of the money is meant to blacktop the road. Probably the work will be completed by October.

Keshav Kumar Sharma, senior division engineer and project manager, Kathmandu Valley Road Expansion Project