Almost all auxiliary road widening projects launched by the Division Road Office, Bhaktapur are in limbo due to non-cooperation from the locals.

The road expansion project stretching from Chardobato to Siddhikali Chok via the Korea Nepal Friendship Hospital in Madhyapur Thimi has come to a halt due to the protest by locals. Budget of Rs 66.2 million has been allocated for the project. 

Locals barred the authorities concerned to demolish houses build by breaching the road criteria, thus forcing the office to suspend the widening works. 

The proposed length of the road is 1,100 meters and its width is 11 meters. There is obstruction in the implementation of the project at the starting and ending points, Office Chief Guru Prasad Adhikari said. 

A total of 11 private houses and one government school building constructed violating the set criteria lie on the roadsides at Chardobato Chok and Siddhakali Chok, hampering the expansion drive.

Likewise, 16 electric poles and 11 Nepal Telecom's poles need to be pulled down for widening the road. 

Similarly, the Chardobato-Balkot Road Widening Project has remained halted for the past two years due to obstruction from the locals. It has the budget of Rs 15.75 million. 

As per the agreement, the project should have been completed nearly two years ago. In the beginning, there was an agreement to widen the road up to 10 meters and it was limited to eight meters, bearing in mind the concern of locals. 

The project has been halted due to the non-cooperation from some locals, Office Chief Adhikari said. The prolonged delay in resuming the projects would prompt the cancellation of projects and returning of the allocated budget, he said. 

Similarly, the expansion of a seven- kilometre Bahakha Bazar- Bode-Mulpani road section has come to a halt as locals barred the demolition of those structures that lie on the road widening boundary. 

The Office of Urban Development Commissioner already put red marks on those houses needed to be pulled down for the implementation of the road widening projects in the district. Over 50 houses need to be demolished to complete the road expansion project, the Office Chief said. The office received the budget of Rs 106.16 million for the implementation of the project. RSS