Electric Poles Cause Delay In Upgrading Of Road

Rasuwa: Upgrading work of Galchi-Trishuli-Mailung-Syafrubensi-Rasuwagadhi road has been delayed after the work of moving electricity poles along the road was not completed.

The work on the Syafrubensi-Rasuwagadhi road section has been delayed under the road plan. It is seen that it will take time for the completion of road as the work of moving the electricity poles along the road has not been completed.

Work is underway to move the electricity poles on the road section which is being upgraded with Chinese investment. The work of shifting the electricity poles had started from April, 2020.

This is due to the delay in moving the electricity pole by the Nepal Electricity Authority Rasuwa. The Tibet Tianlu Company Limited has been awarded the task for upgrading the road which is being upgraded with the help of a grant from the Chinese government.

Project Chief Narayan Dutta Bhandari said that the work would start after the side is cleared. The Nepali side will have to move the electricity poles, houses in the road area and compensate the affected people in the Tatopani area. After the completion of these three works, the Chinese side will move ahead with the work, he said. The upgrade of this road connecting Rasuwagadhi was started 16 months ago.

The Chinese team came and announced to start the work in September 2019. The team returned to China saying that they would move ahead after Nepali side cleared the road section. A few months later, the work was affected by a worldwide outbreak of the COVID-19.

Chief Bhandari informed that the work was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the telephone and fiber network wires were not removed. According to the Nepal Electricity Authority, Rasuwa Office, Dhunche Distribution Center, the work has been delayed due to obstruction of locals and geographical difficulties.

The deadline for moving the poles from Syafruchowki to Ronga Bridge and from Ronga Bridge to Lingling was repeatedly extended.

About 80 per cent of the 325 poles in the road section have to be removed, Bahndari said. The road will be upgraded by the Chinese government and handed over to the government of Nepal. The work has been started by dividing the road from Galchi to Rasuwagadhi into three parts.

Although the Chinese team had begun the work to complete within 39 months, the work was affected by the COVID-19. The distance of the road is 17 kilometers, in which the Chinese side will upgrade 15.8 kilometers. It is currently a one-lane road. The Chinese side will build a two-lane road with blacktop.

A detailed project report (DPR) of Syafrubensi-Rasuwagadhi road section has been prepared. Chief Bhandari said that they have proposed to amend the DPR as existing DPR was likely to affect the residents of Syafru.

The Rising Nepal