KATHMANDU: The Kathmandu Valley Road Expansion Project (KVREP) has reiterated that it would complete the Chabahil-Jorpati-Sankhu road expansion project within this fiscal year.

However, if the current status of the project is to be considered, uncertainties loom large as only 50 percent of the work has been completed so far since the agreement signed in October 2015.

The project is divided into four sections and handled by separate contractors for each section. The contractors were supposed to complete the work within 27 months, i.e., two-and-a-half-years from the agreement.

However, four years on, the authorities have yet to complete the project notwithstanding countless pleas to the authorities concerned to expedite the construction.

The KVREP had then extended the deadline to be completed no later than July 2019.

The first extension had terminated some two months ago. The project is set to extend the deadline for the second time soon. “We will expedite the project so as to complete the remaining work within this fiscal year,” Bishwo Bijay Lal Shrestha told Khabarhub.

The government had in 2015 introduced a plan to upgrade the 11.4 kilometers Chabahil-Jorpati-Sankhu road to a four-lane (22 meters wide) road.

The locals (of Baudhha, Jorpati and Sankhu areas) are, however, uncertain about the completion of the road are bearing the brunt of the miserable road condition since the last five years.

The sorry state of the road has affected the locals as well as the business. While the road becomes dusty during the dry season, it is muddy and slippery during monsoon due to the inaction of the authorities concerned, including the contractor.

Moreover, the entry of heavy vehicles coming to Kathmandu from Melamchi, which has increased in recent times, has added woes to the public.

Failure to complete the project within the stipulated time has infuriated the locals.

The 12-kilometer Chabahil-Sankhu stretch of the road has been expanded and constructed in five phases.

The 3.6- km segment of the road stretching from Chabahil to Bagmati Bridge in Jorpati was awarded to the United Builders and Engineers (P) Ltd at a cost of 424.3 million some four years ago with the latter making its commitment of completing the construction by July 2019.

The United Builders has so far completed only 55 percent of the work spending a total of 240 million even though the contract period has expired. It was entrusted to complete the work at an estimated cost of Rs 520 million.

Likewise, an agreement was signed with the contracting company to complete the 3-km road segment from Thali Chowk to Indrayani in Asoj 2072 with JV Construction to be completed by Baisakh 2076.

However, only 40 percent of the work has been completed even after the expiration of the stipulated deadline some five months ago.

Around Rs 230 million out of the estimated 690 million has been spent so far in the construction of this section of the road.

Likewise, the 2.4-kilometer-long Indrayani-Salambutaar section of the road, too, is in a dilapidated condition. Even though the contract expires after four months from now, only 55 percent of the work has been completed so far.

A total of 170 million out of the estimated Rs 400 crore has been spent so far in this section.

Similarly, construction of only 40 percent of the 3.5-kilometer section of the Salambutar-Sankhu section of the road has been completed so far. This had to be completed last year.

The KVREP, entrusted with the completion of constructing the Chabahil-Jorpati-Sankhu road, however, has said there had been delays due to various obstructions. “One of the reasons is because of the failure to remove the physical structures,” says Shrestha.

According to him, obstructions included stay-order from the court, protests from the locals, compensation issue, among others.

These obstructions, he claimed, affected the construction work such as the drainage management and laying pipes.

Shrestha added that around 80 percent of the houses along the Chabahil-Jorpati-Sankhu section has been demolished so far. “We will expedite the work now to ensure timely completion of the project,” he added.