Gulmi, February 18 – The ongoing construction of the Chhaldi-Thadhunga road in Gulmi’s Isma Rural Municipality-2 has turned into a nightmare for local residents, as poor management and negligence have led to tragic consequences. On Sunday, an eight-year-old girl, Bishnu Kumal, lost her life after being hit by a falling rock from the construction site. She had just left her home for school when the incident occurred.
Fear and Displacement Among Locals
Bishnu’s father, Gyan Bahadur Kumal, not only lost his daughter but is also forced to leave his own house, which is now at high risk due to the haphazard road construction. He has been staying at a neighbor’s house for safety. Similarly, another local resident, Yam Bahadur Thapa, expressed concerns over his house being on the verge of collapse. “If heavy rainfall occurs, my house might be completely destroyed,” he said.
Political Promises vs. Ground Reality
The Chhaldi-Gurawa-Thadhunga road was planned to connect the home village of former minister and current UML leader and lawmaker Gokarna Bista. Bista had assured the locals that this road would be a model of excellence for rural Gulmi. However, the slow progress and lack of oversight have left residents frustrated.
Local Ward Chairperson Loknath Acharya admitted that the contractor’s negligence had caused the tragic accident and put around 30-40 houses at risk. “We have received multiple complaints from residents. We asked the contractor to properly manage the debris and loose rocks, but they did not comply, leading to this unfortunate incident,” he said. He added that the local government is trying to facilitate a resolution but with little effect so far.
Project Delays and Poor Execution
The 5.6 km road, stretching from Chhaldi through Gurawa, Hastichaur, Maldi, Ujung, and Thadhunga to Isma, was awarded to Rautaha-Shrestha-Om Buddha JV for NPR 24.72 crore. The contract was signed on April 26, 2022, with a deadline to complete the work by April 25, 2024. However, despite nearly three years passing, only 30% of the work has been completed.
According to Engineer Durga Prasad Gautam from the Palpa Road Division Office, as of mid-January, the project had only achieved 30% physical progress and 28.92% financial progress. Due to the slow pace, the deadline has now been extended to December 10, 2025, but Gautam himself doubts that the work will be completed within the new timeframe.
Lack of Government Monitoring and Accountability
While the negligence of contractors is evident, the failure of local and provincial government authorities to effectively monitor the project has also contributed to the crisis. Despite repeated complaints and incidents, neither strict action has been taken against the contractor nor has an alternative safety.
