JAJARKOT: Construction of a maternity hospital at Badule in Majkot of Jajarkot district has been left in limbo for the past seven years, thanks to negligence on the part of the contractor.

As per the contract, Friends Construction Company Pvt Ltd, Kathmandu, should have completed the building about seven years ago, but six years after the expiry of the stipulated deadline, the building is nowhere near completion.

The Department of Urban Development and Building Construction Division Office, Surkhet and Friends Construction Company had signed a contract for the project in fiscal year 2013/14 to complete construction within two years from the date of signing. The project was estimated at around Rs 10.5 million.

Due to incompletion of the maternity hospital in the area, locals are compelled to seek health services elsewhere, one of the locals, Raj Bahadur Shahi said.

Even though we reported the sluggish construction to the Ministry of Home Affairs, it was to no avail, Shahi lamented.

"We have requested the contractor to remain in touch with the Division, however, the company has been defying our request even after issuing notice in the newspaper," said the Urban Development and Building Construction Division Office, Surkhet.