NEPALGUNJ, July 15: The recently blacktopped road section of Nepalgunj- Khajura has started peeling off within a month of construction.
The Division Road Office Nepagunj had assigned the construction work to Bhada Construction based in Mohammadpur of Bardiya at the price of Rs 7.08 million.
According to the agreement, the construction company had completed the blacktopping of the 2.8-kilometer stretch of the road section from Kiran Nala to Khajura Khurd Shiva Mandir.
The road near Manpur area has been damaged the most. "It has not been even a month since the road was blacktopped. But the road has already started peeling off," Yam Nath Dahal, a local of Khajura Rural Municipality, said. "There are potholes everywhere and if not maintained, the whole road section might be damaged."
Blacktopped road damaged before completion
He said that the contractor had blacktopped the road during rains, compromising the quality of work.
The construction company has already received complete payment for the work, according to the Division Road Office.
Division Chief Ram Kumar Dev said that although the construction work was good, the road started peeling off because the gravels did not set properly. He clarified that the contractor has been directed to repair the damage, which will be done after the monsoon.
"Talks regarding the maintenance has been held with the contractor, not much damage has been caused, it will be repaired soon," he said.
"The blacktopping had not set properly, and it was damaged because of the sewage dug in Janaki Rural Municipality." said Netra Bilas Poudel, an engineer at the Division Road Office, "The rural municipality started digging sewage at the same time roads were being blacktopped, and we could not stop them."
"About 15 meters of the road has peeled off, and we have issued a letter to the contractor to repair it," he told Republica.
The contractor had completed the project three months earlier than the deadline of October 17 this year. Saukat Ali, head of the contractor company, said that the section of the damaged road would be repaired after the monsoon. "Although the construction has been completed, we get one year period for the maintenance, the damaged roads will be repaired as soon as the monsoon ends."
