KATHMANDU, Dec 30: Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Kulman Ghising on Tuesday warned that construction companies would face penalties if they fail to complete road maintenance works within stipulated deadlines, stressing that the government will no longer tolerate delays.
Speaking at the 23rd anniversary of the Road Board Nepal, Minister Ghising said contracts could also be cancelled if contractors repeatedly fail to meet timelines. He noted that the government has already terminated agreements with some contractors who secured projects at low cost but failed to deliver on time.
“We have cancelled contracts of contractors who took projects cheaply and could not complete the work within the agreed timeframe. This is not optional, but necessary,” he said. “From now on, delays in road maintenance will lead to penalties.”
Road maintenance to delay vehicular movement at Narayanghat-Mug...
Ghising acknowledged that a large number of roads across the country require repair and upgrading, but said budgetary constraints have limited the government’s ability to address all demands at once. “Requests for road maintenance continue to come from the federal, provincial and local levels, but financial limitations prevent immediate response to all of them,” he added.
Also speaking at the event, Secretary at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport Keshav Kumar Sharma said road construction alone should not be equated with development. “Development is meaningful only when roads are usable and properly maintained. Construction without timely maintenance serves little purpose,” he said.
Road Board Nepal Executive Director Ganesh Bahadur KC warned that failure to carry out timely maintenance can increase repair costs by three to four times.
Meanwhile, Director General of the Department of Roads Dr Vijay Jaisi described roads as the backbone of development and stressed the need for adequate budget allocation to ensure timely maintenance and long-term sustainability.
