Bramhamadev Link Road which connects Kanchanpur to India’s Tanakpur barrage has started to develop craks at the Bhimdatta Municipality.

“The road was asphalted in mid-July, but it has already started developing cracks,” said Kar Singh Dhami, a resident of Tilkeni.

Locals say a stream that flows from the Chure area has made its way to Tilkeni and water from the stream has started seeping into the recently black-topped road. “The road section near the bridge over the stream has caved in,” said Ram Singh Dhami, a local man, adding that cracks have appeared in the retaining wall built to hold the stream. “It’s not even been a month since the blacktopping, and the road is punctuated with cracks.”

Two years ago, Lama/Rajendra JV Construction Company was awarded the contract to build the 12-km of the road section within August 22, 2019.

“We have directed the contracting company to repair the damaged road section,” said Laxman Datta Joshi, an engineer of the Division Road Office in Mahendranagar, adding that the construction work on the road is not complete yet.

According to engineers involved in the road construction, the small retaining wall is the reason behind the road damage. Yogendra Adhikari, a site engineer of the Link road, said the road caved in due to the negligence of MK Niraj and Road Lama Rajendra JV Construction Company. “The bridge was constructed by Niraj/Rajendra JV and it looks like they have done a shoddy job,” said Adhikari.

According to the Mahakali Treaty, signed in February 1996 between India and Nepal, India has to construct 13.2 kilometres of road from Tanakpur barrage to Bhasi area. While construction on the Indian side has yet to be completed, the Nepali authorities have started to build the road on the Nepali side. But the quality of the work remains questionable.