Aagya Khabar
Kavre—
The construction of a motorable concrete bridge over the Sunkoshi River—intended to connect Bhumlu Rural Municipality of Kavrepalanchok and Chyohare of Sindhupalchok—has remained stalled for the past five years. With the bridge structure yet to reach even its foundational completion, the daily life of local residents has become increasingly difficult. Meanwhile, the concerned authorities appear ever more indifferent.
Residents of Bhumlu Rural Municipality–1, who should be able to complete their commute within four kilometers, are now forced to travel over 15 kilometers via Dolalghat and Tar’s winding roads. The absence of a proper bridge has severely impacted children, patients, farmers, and the general public.
Contract Signed in 2020, Still Incomplete in 2024
In Bhadra 2077 BS (August–September 2020 AD), the Department of Roads signed a contract with Amar Construction Pvt. Ltd. for the bridge project. The contract, worth over NPR 110.7 million, was expected to be completed by 2nd Jestha 2080 BS (mid-May 2023). However, not only did the contractor delay the work, but they have also reportedly become unreachable, according to the Bridge Sector Office of the department.
Even after an extension was granted on 20th Baisakh 2081 BS (early May 2024) for an additional 23 months and 25 days, the company failed to make any significant progress within the first year of that extended period, engineer Niroj Maharjan confirmed.
Rising Frustration Surpassing Bridge Height
To date, only three bridge piers have been erected, with a single span completed on the Kavre side. Essential protection works, such as riverbank embankment, have not yet begun. “We’ve repeatedly issued both oral and written instructions to the company,” said Maharjan, “but the work has been completely neglected.”
Pressure from Local Government, Yet No Results
Ward Chair of Bhumlu–1, Lekh Bahadur Shrestha, expressed concern over the difficulties residents face. “Due to the lack of a bridge, people struggle with daily transportation,” he said. “While discussions for alternatives are ongoing, government delays and the contractor’s irresponsibility make solutions seem distant.”
According to him, the bridge had the potential to become a backbone for inter-district connectivity and development, but instead it has deepened public frustration.
Infrastructure Development Without Accountability
Across the country, delays in large-scale construction projects have become the norm. However, as seen in the Sunkoshi bridge case, some projects show neither contractor commitment nor departmental supervision.
This raises serious questions: Why are such projects repeatedly given time extensions? Why is the government silent in the face of contractor negligence? And why are infrastructure projects—meant to be cornerstones of local development—getting buried under bureaucracy while compounding public hardship?
