Delayed Upgrading of Paraspur-Gaughat Road Causes Severe Inconvenience

The upgrading of the Paraspur-Gaughat road section has faced significant delays, causing considerable inconvenience to the residents of Banke and Bardiya districts who rely on this critical route for daily transportation. With only 10 days remaining before the contract for the project expires, the 14-kilometer road has seen a mere 20 percent completion, sparking frustration among the local population.

The federal government has allocated Rs 140 million for the road’s upgrading, but progress has been disappointingly slow. According to Amir Subedi, an engineer at the Road Division Office in Nepalgunj, despite repeated requests for the contractor to expedite the work, the project remains far behind schedule.

“The road’s progress is only at 20 percent. We’ve repeatedly asked the contractor to complete the work on time, but unfortunately, it hasn’t happened,” Subedi said. The Paraspur-Gaughat section is a vital thoroughfare for people from Janaki, Khajura, Bardiya’s Badhaiyatal, and the Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan City.

The contract for the project was awarded last year, and with the deadline approaching, the Road Division Office has begun the process of taking legal action against the contractor due to the poor progress. “We’ve initiated the process for legal action against the contractor as the work progress is dismal,” Subedi added.

The delays have not only caused inconvenience but have also led to public outcry. Local residents have staged protests, urging the concerned authorities to speed up the roadwork. People’s representatives and the Road Division Office have also been pressured to ensure the project’s timely completion, given the road’s importance as a daily-used route.

As the deadline nears, the community continues to push for the rapid completion of the Paraspur-Gaughat road, which is crucial for the daily commute and overall connectivity in the region.