DAMAULI: Blacktopping of the Dumre-Bayapani road section of Bhanu Road has yet to begin in Tanahun.

Although a contract has already been awarded for the blacktopping project, passengers have been facing problems as the project has failed to kick off.

The government has allocated a budget of Rs 85,600,000 for the project.

Local Govinda Dhakal said the villagers were suffering as the road is in a sorry state.

National Planning Commission is also said to have allocated certain budget for the blacktopping project. Locals informed that the authorities had already awarded a contract for blacktopping 8km Syauli-Chandrawati road section.

Construction of the road section had begun in 1967 and more than Rs 200 million has already been spent. The locals accused the authorities of being negligent toward completion of the road. Though the road project had begun 48 years ago, 44 km section of the road through Dumre, Sepabagaichha, Chandrawati, Pokharichhap, Bayapani and Chowk VDC have yet to be completed.

Road Construction Committee Chairman Haji Rafica Miya said paper works for blacktopping the road had been completed and that work on the project would begin soon.