Authorities concerned said the strike may leave the ongoing projects, including construction and widening of roads, incomplete, freezing their budget and increasing costs.

In Rupandehi, the strike has affected around 400 development projects being implemented under the Road Division Office with the budget of Rs 500 million. Likewise, scores of development projects launched by the District Development Committee, municipalities and VDCs have also been affected due to the shortage of construction materials.

Among the most affected projects are the construction of a 10 kilometre section of the Belahiya-Butwal six-lane road and a bridge at Yogikuti. The cost of the road project alone stands at around

Rs 910 million.

“Development projects which were supposed to be completed within May have been affected due to the lack of construction materials. Some of them have come to a

complete halt,” said Madhavjung Karki, chief engineer at the DDC.

Karki said budget released for various projects may remain unused if the ongoing works are not completed in time. Contractor Bharatjung Rayamajhi said they had been using construction materials kept in stock for the Belahiya-Butwal road project. “We would be left with no option other than halting the work if the stock is not replenished,” he said.

Likewise, Suman Yougesh, an engineer at the Department of Roads in Hetauda, said all ongoing projects of the department have come to a halt due to the shortage of construction materials. He said whatever materials they had in stock will be finished within few days.

Om Prakash Sikariya, former chairman of the Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry, demanded that the concerned stakeholders should sort out the problem at the earliest.