KATHMANDU, June 19: The long-awaited blacktopping of the Jorpati-Gokarneshwor-Sundarijal Road, which has been delayed for eight years since its expansion, is now in progress. However, concerns have been raised by locals regarding the road's quality and its vulnerability to quick deterioration, especially during the upcoming rainy season. Daily commuters have been enduring transportation difficulties due to the rough and unpaved condition of the road.

Due to heavy rainfall with the onset of the monsoon, the construction work to blacktop the Gokarneshwor Municipality-1, Nayapati Bridge area has been temporarily halted. On Saturday afternoon, the construction contractor applied coal tar, but it was quickly washed away by accumulated water. There is still significant pending work on both sides of the road.

Narayan Bahadur Subedi, spokesperson for Gokarneshwor Municipality, expressed concerns about the remaining potholes and their potential hazards during the rainy season. He stated, "The road becomes damaged and prone to accidents when water accumulates in these potholes. Many potholes still need to be addressed."

The road, initially contracted in 2072 BS with a scheduled completion by the fiscal year 2075/2076 BS, has faced numerous setbacks. The expansion work was halted initially due to protests from locals residing along the road, demanding compensation for their properties. The Kathmandu Valley Road Expansion Project, responsible for the road expansion, aimed to widen it to 11/11 meters on both sides, resulting in a 22-meter-wide road.

Approximately 900 house owners within a seven-kilometer distance demanded compensation for their lands, which led to delays in the project. Eventually, under the leadership of Gokarneshwor Municipality, an agreement was reached to expand the road on privately-owned lands to 11/11 meters and to a wider width on public lands.

However, four years have passed since the agreement, and the prolonged delay in road construction has caused significant inconvenience to commuters, who have been suffering due to the incomplete and unpaved road. Although road expansion work has been completed in most areas, locals have faced challenges, especially during the rainy season when waterlogging occurs. The operation of a grocery store near the Attarkhel area has resulted in health issues for residents due to mud and dust.

Despite several deadline extensions, the road upgrading work remains unfinished. According to the municipality spokesperson, the construction company has attributed the delays to various technical issues and a lack of coordination from the officials in charge. The presence of electricity poles, wires, and other infrastructures that have not been removed has also affected the road expansion progress.

Seema Tamang, a local resident, expressed frustration with the construction company's lack of progress. "CM Construction, the contracted company, works for only a day and then makes no progress for months," Tamang lamented. During the rainy season, the municipality has been urging the contractor to mitigate the mud and dust problem by placing gravel, dozers, and excavators.

Tamang further highlighted the road's deterioration shortly after being blacktopped in front of the Gokarneshwar Mahadev Temple. Despite patchwork in some areas, potholes remain, and footpaths have not been constructed, increasing the risk of pedestrian accidents. Locals have voiced their disappointment with the lack of attention from concerned agencies.

Additionally, traffic jams have occurred in Chandramati, Suryamati, Kolmati, and Jambottari, where road extension has taken place, due to delays in bridge construction over rivers. The Kathmandu Valley Road Extension Project, which has contracted for the road expansion, has said that the contract for the construction of the bridge has not yet been signed.

 
• Jorpati-Gokarneshwor-Sundarijal_Road
 
• blacktopped
 
• road_expansion