Kathmandu, February 3
The Parliament’s Development Committee has directed authroties concerned to repair Kathmandu Valley roads without delay.
It may be noted that road stretches are in bad shape because authorities have dug them up for installing pipelines for the Melamchi Drinking Water Project. At the same time, it has directed Ministry of Physical Planning, Kathmandu Valley Development Authority, Melamchi Drinking Water Project and Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation to spray water and use broomers to remove dust particles from road sections where pipeline construction is in progress.
The committee expressed satisfaction over progress in Melamchi project work. It, however, expressed dissatisfaction also, stating that there have been delays in repair and maintenace of roads, including patching up of holes created during installation of pipelines.
In the wake of increase in pollution resulting mainly from dust particles, a ‘byproduct’ of pipeline installation and Ring Road expansion, the committee had held discussions with these authorities.
Rabindra Adhikari, committee chair, noted that pollution has increased as authorities did not bother to patch the holes on the roads and conduct other road reconstruction works after installing pipelines.
At the meeting, the committee directed the Melamchi project to speed up pipeline construction work by mobilising additional human resources. It told KDVA, Department of Roads, KMC and Lalitpur Sub-metropolitan City to undertake road reconstruction work at night. The committee told the concerned side to test the pipelines, repair the roads and hand them over within 15 days after their installation and complete repair and maintenance works within the next 45 days.
The committee has directed the project to spray water regularly and use broomer machines to reduce pollution. It has told KMC to procure broomer machines if need be.
