Pappu Construction is a representative character which puts a spotlight on how and why public development works in Nepal are poor

Death of five people in a boat capsize after hitting a half-completed bridge over the Lal Bakaiya river in Rautahat on August 25 triggered quite a hue and cry. The contract to build the bridge was awarded to Pappu Construction, a construction firm owned by Sumeet Rauniyar, son of lawmaker Hari Narayan Rauniyar. The bridge should have been completed in June last year as per the contract. Following complaints from locals, Rautahat District Court issued an arrest warrant against Sumeet. Hari Narayan, who represents the Federal Social Forum-Nepal from Parsa-3, also sat on the parliamentary Development and Technology Committee, in a clear case of conflict of interests. On Saturday, the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority filed a corruption case at the Special Court against 12 people, including Hari Narayan and his son Sumeet. The case, however, has been filed in relation to the construction of the Babai bridge. They have been charged with using substandard materials while constructing the bridge.

Pappu Construction, with around 40 construction projects in its kitty since 2014, however, is only a representative character, which puts a spotlight on how Nepal’s construction projects are awarded and how contractors’ nexus with politicians and bureaucrats plagues the country’s public infrastructure development for long. Pappu’s case in relation to the Babai bridge is now under the purview of the Special Court. Nine government employees of Divisional Road Office, Nepalgunj, along with consultant, have also been charge-sheeted. We believe the law will take its course and decide accordingly. But it is high time the country urgently introduced some effective measures to carry out public development works. Most of the national pride projects are already running slow, and time and again concerns have been raised about slow and shoddy works. Various reports suggest that the contractor-politician-bureaucrat nexus often leads to delay and poor works.

Some have also found fault with the Public Procurement Act and called for an amendment to it. But it’s not that the Act has not been amended in the past. But it has largely failed to address the shortcomings. As per the Act, a contract is awarded to the lowest bidder. Hence it does not matter whether a particular firm has good or bad track record. It just has to bid the lowest. The problem arises after that. Construction firms launch study and prepare the detailed project report after winning the contract. By the time the actual construction starts, the variation order escalates the costs. This results either in delay or slipshod work of the project. Public infrastructure development projects like roads and bridges are directly linked with people’s day-to-day lives. A poorly constructed bridge or road can put people’s lives at risk. The government needs to step up efforts to fix the problems in the public construction sector. It has to make monitoring mechanisms more efficient so as to keep tabs on the contractors. Contractors often take advantage of inefficient monitoring mechanism. The government as well as lawmakers must understand the gravity of the situation. While contractors must be held accountable, their nexus with politicians and bureaucrats needs to be dismantled.

Conserving traditions 

The latest decision of National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) to provide additional support of Rs 50,000 to each household in Bungamti, Lalitpur for retrofitting the houses damaged by the 2015 earthquake in the traditional style is a welcome move. The NRA pledged to support the locals after they vowed to repair their damaged houses in the traditional way. Out of the total 850 traditional private houses damaged, 593 households have pledged to rebuild them in line with traditional Newari architecture.

The locals will be repairing their houses in the traditional manner as per the guidelines endorsed by Bungamati Area Reconstruction and Development Council which is also getting support from UN Habitat Nepal. The RNA’s move will encourage the locals to keep the traditional architecture intact at a time when most of the people have shifted towards modern concrete buildings. The use of terracotta in the façade, black doors and windows, rectangular shape of the house, intricate wood carvings and traditional interior design are the basic features of the traditional Newari houses. Helping them to use traditional methods will mean preserving the tradition.