Roadwork Delays Put Lives at Risk in Simara

In a concerning development surrounding the Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor, the completion of the one-kilometer access road from Simara Telecom to the north side of the airport, leading to the Special Economic Zone (SEZ), has been stalled for over a year. The project, part of a 500 million rupees package from the federal government’s Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Development, was designed to blacktop the road and install drainage systems.

Mahabir Engineering and Construction Pvt. Ltd., the appointed contractor for the project, has allegedly provided various excuses for the significant delay in completing the blacktopping of the road. Local authorities report that the delays have led to numerous accidents along the route, resulting in fatalities.

The affected area encompasses a dozen wards of Jeetpursimara Sub-metropolitan City, Kalaiya sub-metropolis, and Kolhabi Municipality. Local residents heavily rely on this road for travel, making the delays and accidents a cause for widespread concern.

The agreement between the Birgunj-based Intensive Urban Planning Office and Mahabir Engineering and Construction Pvt. Ltd. was struck a year ago. However, the project has faced setbacks, with the contractor attributing the delays to the non-cooperation of the electricity authority in timely relocating electric poles.

Engineer Prabin Thakur from Mahabir Engineering and Construction Pvt. Ltd. cited the electricity authority’s delays as a major hindrance to progress. Despite this explanation, local residents have voiced their grievances, prompting former minister and federal MP of Bara 4, Kisan Shrestha, to intervene.

Shrestha instructed the contractor to expedite the work after receiving complaints from locals about the increased accidents due to negligence. However, even with the MP’s instructions, the roadwork has not commenced, deepening concerns among residents and authorities alike.

A recent tragic incident involving a collision between a tipper carrying soil and a local woman in Jeetpurpur Simara-14 has underscored the urgency of completing the road project. The narrow 16-foot path witnesses a continuous flow of soil-laden tippers heading towards the SEZ, raising fears of more accidents unless immediate action is taken.

The stalled progress of the Bara-Parsa Industrial Corridor access road raises questions about the effectiveness of government infrastructure projects and the accountability of contractors. The community now awaits a resolution to ensure the safety and timely completion of this crucial transportation route.