Chitwan, April 10
The government’s delay in initiative landslide control works along the recently upgraded Muglin-Narayangadh road in Chitwan district has sparked a fear of accidents.
The road that connects Kathmandu and Pokhara with the East-West Highway was upgraded last year. Dozens of landslides had affected the movement along the way in past years.
As the monsoon approaches, it is already late to take preventive measures so as to avoid such incidents this year also, according to stakeholders.
However, the Department of Roads is yet to call for tenders. Rupak Raj Bhandari, Chief Engineer at Foreign Aid Implementation Division of the Department, says the notice for tenders will be issued in the third week of April.
The Department will take three more months to process applications and finalise the contract. By then, it will already be the peak of monsoon in Nepal.
Total 414 landslides of different sizes hit the road during the upgrading, according to Narayangadh-Muglin Road Project’s information officer Shiva Khanal.
