National
Construction of integrated settlement for quake-hit people in Laprak delayed
The construction of integrated settlement for earthquake-hit people of Laprak in Gorkha district has been delayed.Hariram Upreti
The construction of integrated settlement for earthquake-hit people of Laprak in Gorkha district has been delayed. Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) started the construction of a housing facility for 573 families in January, 2017 with a plan of completing the project by October. 2018. Around 52 percent work of the integrated settlement has been completed so far. The NRNA said the construction was delayed owing to geographical remoteness, harsh weather and poor condition of the access road to transport construction materials to the project site.
The NRNA signed an agreement with the National Reconstruction Authority to build 573 houses for the quake displaced families at Gupsipakha with facilities such as running water and solar panels for electricity. The site is about 30 minutes’ walk from the old settlement of Laprak which was destroyed by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in April 2015. Gupsipakha was chosen for resettlement after geologists had declared the old settlement a high landslide risk zone. The NRNA also plans to build a school, a health post and a Gurung museum at the site that spans over 18 hectares of land.
Laxman Aryal, NRNA site manager, said the construction work was going on war footing with an objective to handover the settlement by April, 2019. “Construction of five houses has been completed so far, while roofs have been installed in other 69 houses. The supply of the required construction materials are smooth now. We will complete the construction work as planned if it does not snow in the area,” said Aryal, adding that the number of construction workers had been increased to complete the project on time.
PHOTO BY HARIRAM UPRETY