More than 200 residents obstructed public and private vehicles for one and a half hour at Kalanki-Nagdhunga road on Friday protesting against the authorities for the delay and tardy progress of road construction.

The irate protestors chanted slogans against the government for its failure to resolve the problem.

The protestors disrupted traffic and upset the daily routine of hundreds of commuters in Kalimati, Khasibazar and up to Bafal Chowk during peak office time from 9am to 10.30am.

The Kalanki-Nagdhunga road expansion work that started in 2015 continues to crawl. The project was to complete in three years.

Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Raghubir Mahaseth had vowed road works would finish by August when he visited the site on July 29.

Little has happened since then. Residents continue to suffer because of the delay.

Chandragiri Municipality Ward-8 Chairperson and protest leader Uttam Bahadur Raut said residents are upset over Minister Mahaseth’s false promises.

The minister had publicly announced the government would take strict action against the main contractor, Sailung Construction, if it fails to complete the task by August. Residents endure a lot of inconvenience and suffer dust pollution during dry weather and muddy roads during monsoon.

“Nobody knows the difficulties we suffer here. We cannot open our windows of our home and breathe fresh air. Citizens have the right to live a healthy life, but because of the increasing dust pollution we continue suffer every day,” said Raut.

People from the locality suffer traffic gridlock on Kalanki-Nagdhunga section that often last up to one hour.

“Everyone in my family suffers respiratory problems. We cannot bear the inconvenience during the rainy season the whole area is full of slush,” said Nirmala Thapa, 42, a resident of Satungal.

“Although the expanded road encroaches on our land, we have told the government we do not need compensation, but they should complete the road quickly. The air polluted with dust has severely affected our health,” she said.

Saurav Joshi, who runs pharmacy in Kalanki said, many local residents suffering from respiratory problems, asthma and obstructive pulmonary diseases caused by air pollution visit his outlet to buy prescribed medicines. 

Earlier in June, the Supreme Court ordered the government to start road expansion works after compensating affected residents.

During his field visit, Minister Mahaseth assured implementing the top court’s order. Chandragiri Municipality Mayor Ghanshyam Giri said, “Nothing has happened up to now.”  The incomplete road section lies in his municipal area. The construction delay has affected the health of over five dozen traffic police who regularly manage the traffic in this road section.

Metropolitan Traffic Police data shows, around 70,000 people travel in 8,000 public and private vehicles daily.