GANDAKI: Construction of the Harichowk–Yamdi road section in Kaski’s Pokhara Metropolitan City-1, a part of the national pride Mid-Hill Highway project, remains incomplete even three years after the contract was awarded.
The 2,200-meter road was contracted to Motidan Construction Services Pvt. Ltd. of Kathmandu in August 2022. However, the Highway Project Office in Parbat has attributed the delay to the contractor’s negligence.
According to project engineer Kiran Subedi, only 70 percent of the physical work and 66 percent of the financial expenditure have been completed to date. Blacktopping work, which began in the second week of last Baisakh using asphalt technology, is still in its first phase.
“The second layer of blacktopping is pending. Given the monsoon, progress is slow. Road marking, beautification, and final touches may take a few more months,” Subedi stated. “We expect completion within the next fiscal year.”
Subedi noted that the first layer of blacktop from Harichowk is nearing completion. However, issues such as the relocation of electricity poles, water management, and delayed payments have also impeded progress.
He added that transportation along the route should improve by winter. “The situation has been difficult for locals and travelers for a long time, but the road is now becoming more navigable,” he said.
A four-lane road had already been constructed on both ends of the section four years ago. However, the deteriorated condition of the middle stretch has caused severe inconvenience for vehicles entering Pokhara, the provincial capital.
Transport operators have raised concerns over traffic congestion and increased accident risks due to the unpaved and unstable condition of the road.
The project office confirmed that the contract period has already been extended twice after the contractor failed to meet original deadlines. Attempts were made to terminate the contract, but the construction company committed to accelerating work, prompting the extensions.
Subedi acknowledged that the company has failed to meet its commitments. Local residents, frustrated by the prolonged delays, have repeatedly appealed to authorities. Last year, in July, locals held a symbolic protest by planting trees on the unfinished road to pressure officials.
The road is a vital link for hundreds of vehicles traveling daily to Pokhara from western districts including Parbat, Baglung, Myagdi, Mustang, and Rukum East.
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