Mude-Charikot road left in limbo
The Mude-Charikot road which is connected to the capital has always been facing problems. The contract was given to Shakil Haider-Shankarmali Sunaulo Khimti JV in 2015, but the progress remains still with dust, potholes and risk.
As elections approach, this road becomes a ‘special political agenda’ of the commitments to leaders. 110 km of road is being constructed under the Lamosangu-Charikot-Jiri Road Project with the aim of improving and expanding the single-lane road built 40 years ago to make it a double-lane road. Out of this, the Mude-Charikot section is the second section, which was awarded the contract with a target of completion within two years.
The first and third sections have been completed and handed over to the Division Road Office and are undergoing regular maintenance. However, this important section in the middle has been incomplete for years. Since the project has a loan from the Indian Exim Bank, there is a mandatory provision that 51 percent Indian ownership and 51 percent Indian construction materials should be provided. However, structural constraints, management weaknesses, and constant decision-making changes did not allow the work to proceed.
Eight project managers changed during this period and no development has been done. Due to repeated changes in the work variations, the project cost has increased from Rs 790m to about Rs 900m. The contractor has been paid Rs 810m so far.
There are records of the deadline being extended up to eight times after the work was not completed on time. Project manager Shambhu Prasad Acharya said that a contract notice was issued for repairs after Shakil Haider did not work. However, two years after the notice was issued, the High Court revived the old agreement and issued an interim order to Shakil Haider to do the work.
The project chief Acharya said that since there was a commitment to complete the work by April 3, they are waiting if it is not completed even after that, they will go to legal proceedings. The locals have the same complaint, they remember the road only when the elections come, they forget it after seeking votes, and after the elections are over. This main road connecting the capital should be the backbone of development, but it has become a tool of political speech.
The Charikot road is not just an election agenda, it is the economic, social and emergency lifeline of Dolakha. Tourism, trade and health services are all affected if this road is not managed. Therefore, now it is not a commitment limited to the speeches of the leaders, but a concrete action plan with a deadline, responsibility and penalties is needed.
Electricity reaches remote Lapchi village
The electricity has been provided in a remote village in Bigu Rural Municipality-1. The houses of Lapchi residents who have been living in geographical remoteness, harsh weather, and lack of basic amenities have been under the light since Friday night.
Roshan Kumar Singh, head of the Nepal Electricity Authority Dolakha Distribution Center, said that electricity has been lit since Friday night in Lumnang, Bigu Rural Municipality-1, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Nepal Electricity Authority Dolakha Distribution Center. He said that the transformer for electricity has been arranged by Sasa Hydro Power in Lamabagar and other arrangements have been made by the authority.
Lapchi residents descend to Lumnang every year in winter to escape the cold and protect their cattle, and then go to Lapchi when the cold subsides. Pasang Sherpa, chairperson of the Lapchi Gumba, said that cattle rearing is the main source of livelihood for the residents here. There are a total of 48 households in Lumnang, but only 13 households live there.
Due to the lack of access to the road network, locals say that transporting daily necessities including food from in their ward costs a lot. A packet of salt from Lamabagar in their ward costs up to Rs 160, and a sack of rice weighing 30 kg costs up to Rs 6,000, said Wangchuk Sherpa, chairperson of the Lapchi Toll Development Committee. However, when goods are brought from Chupsang in China via the Lapchi-Ramding border, a packet of salt costs only Rs 50 at most, he said.
It takes about an hour and a half to reach Chupsang in China from Lapchi via Ramding. Locals of Lapchi say that if the Chinese government allows them to go to Tasinghang after passing through, they can get goods at even cheaper prices. Therefore, the daily life of the people of Lapchi depends on the Chinese market. Although not all of the 150 Lapchi residents live in Lapchi, their main occupation is cattle herding.
They pay taxes to the Chinese government annually for cattle grazing. The locals, who have been deprived of electricity for years, are happy to have access to the national grid. With the supply of electricity, daily life will become easier and it is expected to have a positive impact on education, health, communication and economic activities. Chairperson Pasang also said that it will now be easier to charge mobile and communication devices and the possibility of operating small businesses will increase. Although the construction work was challenging due to the remote geographical conditions, the Dolakha Distribution Center stated that the project was successfully completed with the cooperation of the locals and the continuous efforts of the authority.
