SURKHET, Oct 21: The construction of the road named ‘Birendranagar Ring road’, which was started 17 years ago, is still incomplete due to disputes. The construction of the road was started in 2062 BS with the aim of connecting the Birendranagar Valley with a single road. The construction was started from Subbakuna to connect Bangesimal from the south via Ghusra.
The Ring Road is about 29 km long, out of which only 22 km has been completed so far. There have been disputes from time to time as private houses, land and protected forest areas fall under the road.
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Due to the presence of protected forest areas and private houses, 40 percent of the work is yet to be done. About two kilometers of the constructed roads are left to be paved. Even in wards 1, 2, 8 and 12 of Birendranagar Municipality, the dispute has not been resolved due to individual houses and land that fall in the area of construction.
The locals have been obstructing the construction of the project for a long time demanding proper compensation. “If there is development for the people, it should be developed in the right way,” Amrita Karki of Birendranagar-2, said, "We will give land, but we have a problem when we are displaced in the name of development."
She said that the locals demand that the government compensate them for the acquisition of their land according to the damage. Road Division Office Chaurjahari, Rukum (West), which is looking after the Ring Road project under construction, said that 60 percent of the work has been completed. Engineer of the office Suresh Basyal informed Republica that although the construction in the non-disputed areas has been completed, the work in the disputed areas is still incomplete.
