Blacktopping of Mid-Hill Highway stalled due to lockdown

4 May Jajarkot : Although the government has decided to continue with the construction of the national pride projects during the ongoing nationwide lockdown, the blacktopping of Mid-Hill Highway’s roads in Jajarkot and Rukum (West) districts has been stalled.

The roads in Jajarkot, Rukum (East) and Rukum (West) measuring 214 kilometres falls under the Mid-Hill Highway out of which the blacktopping of 42 kilometres stretch has remained stagnant mainly due to the human resources crunch.

Most of the labourers left for their homes with the beginning of lockdown fearing the infection of COVID-19, according to the Mid-Hill Highway Project’s Dailekh district office. The blacktopping was ought to be completed by coming mid-July.

Moreover, the blacktopping of 32-kilometre road section from Sanibheri-Chaurjahari has been hindered amidst the lockdown, informed Sharma Singh and Brothers JV’s Bishwas Uprety.

The works that could be done involving machines however were carried out despite the lockdown but it is again likely to be affected in lack of the petroleum products that were being supplied from Nepalgunj, informed Uprety whose office has been awarded the contract for the construction of 55-km road section in Jajarkot under the Mid-Hill Highway project.

Likewise, the construction of bridge over Bheri River under the Mid-Hill Highway project which had already witnessed delay prior to the lockdown has been hit hard due to lockdown imposed nationwide to contain the outbreak of COVID-19.

Also, the Detailed Project Report related work of Nalagaad Hydropower Project which is in Karnali State has also been impeded owing to the stay-at-home.