GULMI: Construction of the road section from Simaltari in Gulmi to Machchi in Pyuthan, part of the Madan Bhandari Highway, has been significantly delayed, causing difficulties for commuters—especially during the rainy season.
Despite being three years into the project, only 26 percent physical progress has been achieved, according to Engineer Prabhat Tiwari of the Madan Bhandari Highway Planning Office, Gulmi. Financial progress stands at just 23 percent over the same period.
The contract for the 31-kilometer road—from Simaltari to Machchi via Sautamare—was awarded to Shrestha–Saksham JV. An agreement was signed with a project cost of Rs 1.45 billion. However, locals and officials report that construction has been moving at a slow pace.
Mahendra Bahadur Kunwar, Chairperson of Madane Rural Municipality, acknowledged that work has not progressed satisfactorily for a long time. In response to repeated complaints from civil society, a joint monitoring team—led by Gulmi Chief District Officer (CDO) Bishnu Prasad Koirala and officials from the Planning Office and local levels—recently conducted an on-site inspection.
CDO Koirala stated that substantial work still remains, including blacktopping the road using subway, base, and asphalt technology. “We have instructed the contractors to expedite the process,” he said.
The Planning Office also confirmed that it has been regularly urging the contractors to increase the pace of work. If construction continues as planned, the office aims to complete the project by mid-Asar 2083 BS.
On behalf of the contractors, Engineer Kishan Shah admitted that the delay was caused by financial constraints. He said that the project suffered due to delayed payments from the government, particularly between mid-Poush and mid-Asar. Shah added that the process to extend the construction deadline is underway and expressed commitment to completing the project within the revised timeline.
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