Rautahat, July 9

Blacktopping of the road from Hajaniniyan to Bhalohiya along the Gaur-Gangapipara-Samanpur stretch in Rautahat, remains largely incomplete, though the project deadline has already expired.

Locals blamed negligence on the part of the Division Road Office, Chandranigahapur and the contracting firm for the incomplete task.

The DRO had called a tender two years ago after the government allotted Rs 5 crore  to blacktop the 5.3 km road stretch.

Subsequently, Bitti Kainan and JV Construction company was awarded the contract worth Rs 2.8 crore. After signing the contract, the construction company started the project on January 4, 2016, with a deadline of June 29, 2017.

Till now, the contracting firm has blacktopped only 1.2 km of the road stretch.

Engineer Shyam Narayan Mishra at the RDO, Chandranigahapur said, “We directed the contractor to complete the work on time, but in vain,” he added.

Chief of the RDO, Chandranigahapur, Suman Yogesh pleaded ignorance about the matter, saying that he had just recently been posted to the office.

“Action will be taken against the construction company if the project has overshot the deadline, as agreed in the contract,” the government offical said.