KATHMANDU, JUL 26 - A high-level committee formed to monitor the road expansion drive in Kathmandu Valley has set August 31 as the deadline for completing all the reconstructionwork on the widened stretches.
The decision came two days after Interim Election Government Chairman Khil Raj Regmi warned of action against the concerned authorities and contractors if they failed to complete all thereconstruction work by the end of next month.
More than one and a half years since the launch of the road expansion drive by the Baburam Bhattarai-led government to ease traffic congestion, only half of the total demolished sections have been reconstructed so far. The dusty and muddy stretches have been a nuisance for commuters. Of the total 200 km widened, around 110 km has been restored.
A meeting of the high-level monitoring committee led by Krishna Hari Baskota, secretary at the Prime Minister's Office, on Friday decided to complete all the remaining works by the end of next month.
Under the plan, the gravelling of 1 km section between Maitighar and Tinkune and the construction of 1.5 km footpath on the portion will be completed by the August deadline . Similarly, gravel roads and footpath construction stretching 1 km and 2 km, respectively, will be completed along the Lainchaur-Maharajgunj-Golfutar section. Other targets are 600m gravel and 700m footpath along Kalimati-Balkhu-Tribhuvan University gate, 1km side drain along with 500m footpath along Gaushala-Baneshwor-Shankhamul and 400m gravel along the Maitighar-Bhadrakali section.
Other sections to be worked on include 1.84 km section joining Sifal-Kalopul-Naxal, 0.8 km Tahachal-Chhauni section, 0.4 km blacktopping of the section joining Narayanchaur-Nanigunj, and 800m section along Jawalakhel-Ekantakuna.
"Though we aim to complete all the remaining reconstructionwork by the end of next month, additional jobs need to be performed alongside," said Baskota.