Siraha, January 31

Postal Highway Struggle Committee Coordinator Ramrijhan Yadav has accused the government of ignoring their voice for early completion of bridges over the Kamala and Balan rivers on the highway.

The committee had started a relay hunger strike from January 1 demanding that the bridges over the Kamala River flowing between Siraha and Dhanusha, and Balan River between Saptari and Siraha on the highway be constructed within six months, considering the inconvenience caused by the delay in construction all these years.

Holding a press conference at the strike venue today, Postal Highway Struggle Committee Coordinator warned they would intensify the protest if the government didn’t address their concerns. “The highway project is vital for prosperity of Madhes, but the government doesn’t seem to be serious about expediting the project and completing it within the stipulated time,” Yadav said. “The distance to Janakpur from here is just 25 km or so via the highway, but as the bridges have not been built and the highway is yet to be completed, we have to make a detour to Janakpur, covering about 100 km, which is not fair,” Yadav observed.

A contract signed with Pappu-Lumbini JV for construction of bridges over the Kamala River seven years ago had stipulated three years’ time for completion of the project. So far, the contractor has only erected pillars and work related to installation of beam slabs is under way.

As per the Postal Highway Directorate Planning Office in Janakpur, the contractor was granted an extension till mid-December last year after it could not complete the project within the stipulated time even though the contract was extended twice.