Road Construction Negligence in Ramechhap

Ramechhap. The Seleghat–Ramechhap–Sanghutar road, which connects Ramechhap to the border of Okhaldhunga, has been left in a state of neglect by construction contractors, causing severe hardship for commuters, passengers, and local residents.

Since the old road structures were demolished and left in shambles, vehicles traveling to and from Kathmandu via the Likhu riverbanks of Ramechhap and Okhaldhunga are facing significant operational difficulties. Furthermore, local residents are seeing their land crack and their houses on the verge of collapse. 

The debris and soil thrown from the road construction have displaced several people, and the dust rising from the road has made living in nearby houses unbearable. Local resident Purna Bahadur Mahat informed that many settlements are now at risk due to the stones and soil discarded from the road site.

The approximately 52-kilometer-long road, stretching from Seleghat in Manthali Municipality-6 to Sanghutar Bazaar on the Okhaldhunga border via Ramechhap Bazaar, remains unfinished past its deadline, forcing passengers to undertake dangerous journeys. Vehicles are constantly at risk due to heavy dust in the winter and mud during the rainy season.

The construction of this road, supported by the Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of India, was awarded to the Indian construction company Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL). This company, in turn, entrusted the work to Nepali subcontractors. 

The project began on November 11, 2020, with an agreement to complete it by May 10, 2023, for a total cost of 1.9471 billion rupees. However, after the work was not completed on time, the same company was granted a 17-month extension. Despite this, progress remains stalled.

Manamaya Shrestha of Sanghutar Thakle shared that her house is at risk of collapsing because the road was dug up and abandoned. She expressed that the road has made them feel unsafe. "There is no certainty as to when a landslide might occur and wash away our home; this road has caused us nothing but trouble," she said.