A bridge project that was commissioned in 2012 to connect Bhurigaun-Surkhet road over Bheri River in Surkhet is still nowhere near complete.

Locals said the construction firm, Pappu JV Constructions, pulled out of the project after just building the foundation pillars.

“The project was abandoned and the Road Division Office has not even bothered to explain us why, much less take action against the construction company,” said Prem Prasad Paudel of Taranga village.

Secretary of Hariharpur VDC Keshar Bahadur Dangi said the people from many villages have been inconvenienced in the absence of a permanent bridge over Bheri.

“We don’t know why the project was abandoned. Representatives of the construction firm have been out of contact,” he said.

The bridge was supposed to be completed in January this year.

Chief of Road Division Office Bel Bahadur Bhujel, meanwhile, defended the construction company, claiming that the project had to be stopped because of “problems caused by difficult terrain”.

“The people at Pappu

JV Constructions have assured us to resume the project after this year’s monsoon,” he said.