Construction of 19 mega projects being operated in the Myagdi district has been in limbo. Locals have been bearing the brunt of dillydally in the construction of projects related to roads, drinking water, transmission lines, and hospital building.
The projects being operated through federal and provincial governments remained unattended with the expiry of the contract periods and thereby discontinuation of the project works.
Some 11 projects under Gandaki province government funding and eight projects being implemented with the funding of the federal government are awaiting the continuation of construction.
Eight of the projects are related to roads. Apart from the Rahughat Hydropower Project with an estimated investment of Rs 7 billion, other unattended and incomplete projects have an investment of over Rs 4.5 billion.
Chairperson of Myagdi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bel Bahadur Katuwal said the mega projects were facing challenges due to sheer ignorance on part of contractors having administrative, political, and commercial access, the apathy of project and office chiefs and stakeholders, deficit budgetary arrangement and incompetence of contractors in arranging the equipment, human resource, and construction materials.
Other reasons behind the stagnation of development projects include inadequate facilitation for resolving protracted local disputes, complications in accessing river-based materials, manipulation of interest groups, and lack of adequate technical human resources for monitoring and evaluation.
Construction works of the Ratodhunga Substation, Beni-Jomsom-Korala, Lampata-Darwang-Ratnechaur-Beni, Pokharebagar-Chitre, Galeswor-Rakhu, Maldhunga-Beni road and bridges over the Chhyarchhyare, Argala, Bharwang, and Tukhu rivulet are yet to be completed.
Also, other unattended projects are Beni hospital, Takam hospital, Malkawang health post, Aula irrigation, Ratnechaur lift drinking water, and Rawan Mountain. ---
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