PANCHTHAR, SEPTEMBER 30

Shivadobhan-Lumfabung-Nawamidanda road of Panchthar has started falling apart well before completion of its construction.

Locals have accused the contractor of compromising on quality while constructing the road. The 13- km road had been contracted for 600 million rupees for blacktopping under a special programme of the provincial government.

The gabion walls and hume pipes installed prior to the construction were damaged at a number of places.

“Well before completion of the project, the road has started falling apart because of negligence on the part of the contractor company that had built walls without digging proper foundation and used substandard materials in the construction process,” said local leader Netra Prasad Lawati of Lumfabung.

The contractor, however, rejected the allegation. Kanchharam Yakthunghang JV is involved in construction of the road.

“Everything is up to the mark from our side; the present condition of the road is all due to continuous rainfall and lack of cooperation from locals,” said construction entrepreneur Ramesh Shrestha.

Another local of Lumfabung, Kamal Prasad Ghimire, lamented that negligence of the contractor had caused dozens of houses to be swept away and arable land to be buried.

The project is a model project of the provincial government. Locals have expressed concern about lack of monitoring of the project.

Feature image: File

A version of this article appears in e-paper on October 1 2020, of The Himalayan Times.