The newly-built Kamalbi-nayak-Chareli-Nagarkot road in the district has started developing cracks due to lack of proper maintenance.

Built a year ago as an alternative road to reach Nagarkot, the 11.5 kilometre road shortens travel distance to the hill station by seven kilometres compared to Kamalbinayak-Telkot-Nagarkot road.

 The road, constructed by the Asian Development Bank’s Rural Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Sector Development Programme at the cost of Rs 60 million, was blacktopped right in the beginning and came as a boon for residents of Bhatkekopati, Sudal, Jitpurfedi, Chareli and Kalmesi in Bhaktapur and neighbouring villages in Kavre. Apart from travel convenience, the road provided easy market access to villagers to sell their agricultural products. The road was also damaged heavily due to the April 25 earthquake and its aftershocks and landslips it triggered.

“The alternative road had made it quicker and easier to reach my home at Gairibisaune VDC in Kavre from my rented room at Kandaghari in Bhaktapur,” Raju Dhakal said. “But now the road is in a sorry state and remains logged with rainwater and sewage. Travelling along the road has become extremely dangerous.”

Meanwhile, Narendra Koirala, project manager and senior divisional engineer at the Department of Roads, said the road is still incomplete and all deterioration should be fixed after completion. “Currently, we are widening the road to make it two-lane but shortage of materials in the country has delayed our work,” he said. “The project should complete within a year,” he assured.

Bhaktapur District Technical Office, however, blamed budget crunch as the reason for lack of maintenance. According to the office, it needs around Rs15 million to repair the road but despite asking repeatedly, the District Development Committee has not released funds yet.