Belauri-Kaluwapur road blacktopping delayed for years due to contractor’s negligence

Kanchanpur: The blacktopping of the Belauri-Kaluwapur road, which connects the southern region of Kanchanpur, has yet to be completed due to prolonged delays by the construction company.

A section of the road from Bansah to Kaluwapur, which passes through a forested area, remains unpaved. As a result, locals continue to face difficulties traveling on the dusty and potholed three-kilometer stretch.

The contract for blacktopping the road was awarded in 2078 BS, but progress has been sluggish. Local residents have staged multiple protests demanding the completion of the project.

Businessman Akkal Bahadur Bista of Kaluwapur said that the work has stalled because the contractor only pretends to work without making actual progress. “It is ironic that it has taken five years to blacktop just three kilometers of road,” he said. “If the work is not completed, the contract should be terminated and compensation recovered.”

Similarly, Tunke Bohara of Shuklaphanta Municipality-12 accused the contractors of delaying the project due to political protection. “If there was no political influence, the work would have been completed long ago,” he said. “Contractors who fail to deliver should be blacklisted.”

According to Yogendra Bahadur Adhikari, head of the Infrastructure Development Office, the office has repeatedly urged the construction company to continue the work. He said, “Last year, Rs 12.5 million allocated for the project had to be returned due to lack of progress. This year, Rs 5 million has been allocated. There is no shortage of budget; the contractor simply needs to move forward with the work. Additional funds can be arranged for blacktopping if required.”

Adhikari added that the contract remains valid until the end of Chaitra and that the office is considering terminating it if the work is not completed within the stipulated time.

The road, constructed nearly four decades ago, has seen partial blacktopping in some areas. However, the three-kilometer stretch from Bansah to Kaluwapur and the five-kilometer section from Chandev to the Siali River within Shuklaphanta National Park remain incomplete.

Meanwhile, cracks and potholes have appeared in already blacktopped sections, and parts awaiting maintenance are rapidly deteriorating.