Government interference in construction of Rani entry point: Agreement ended, work did not start

BIRATNAGAR: The state government has yet to begin construction of the welcome gate in Rani, Biratnagar, which will serve as Nepal’s entry point.

As the project’s deadline approaches, the decision on where to construct the structure has become muddled. Even after 8 months since the project’s completion, construction has yet to begin.

The structure’s construction will be complicated due to a lack of coordination between the federal, state, and local levels.

Biratnagar State Government’s Urban Development and Building Construction Office signed a contract with Habitat Ashishdeep JV on June 9, 2020, for the construction of a reception gate and sky bridge.

This construction work was supposed to be completed by June 28, 2022, according to the contract agreement.

However, even after 8 months of the agreed-upon time frame, the location of the structure has yet to be determined.

The contract was signed for 62.25 million 24 thousand out of the estimated cost of 77.6 million 48 thousand.

The Urban Development and Building Construction Office has also paid the amount of 13 million for mobilization to the contractor.

Obstruction of federal government

Federal government offices have become stumbling blocks in the project’s work, which was supposed to be completed about 8 months ago.

According to reports, the government of State 1, Biratnagar Metropolitan Municipality, and industry organization Morang will build the Swagatdwar (entry point) in a cost-sharing arrangement. When the work on the reception gate was about to begin in accordance with government procedure, it was stated that the gate and Sky bridge would be in Dashagaja, so they were asked to relocate it.

Despite the fact that it was claimed to be made in Dashagaja, customs refused to approve it, claiming that it could not be made there.

A welcome gate has already been built on the Indian side at Dashagaja. The customs office, according to the office’s head, Rudra Narayan Mishra, has also halted the construction of a gate 150 meters north of Dashagaja.

“After it was said that it could not be built in Dashagaja, it was going to be built 150 meters north,” he said, “it has now stopped because the customs office did not allow it to be built there.”

According to the decision made on Nov 23, 2020, the work will begin approximately 150 meters north.

The Biratnagar Customs Office of the federal government halted the construction of the reception gate due to protocol violations, and the construction site itself has shifted to three locations.

He said that even after moving the construction site to three places, the construction work could not be started because the process of construction of the reception gate was not agreed and it took time to get approval.

“Initially, there was a plan to build a reception gate with a flyover in the Nepal-India border area, he said, but the construction was stopped because it was in the Dashagaja area and the customs office was also there.”

According to Bibash Bhure, the office’s engineer, the work was halted after customs sent a letter asking them to do so.

Customs sent a letter shortly after the work began. After customs refused to allow it to operate, there is a plan to build a gate 8 kilometers north.

According to the office, it has been agreed that the gate will be built on the road near the entrance of the ICP rather than on the road itself, and the Sky bridge will be built near Mahabir Road, Biratnagar’s main market.

Despite repeated discussions for agreement, permission was not given for Sky bridge and entry point, which are going to be built in the third place of the 6-lane road.

Mishra, the acting head of the office, claims that the road department has not yet granted permission through the 6-lane road project office, despite the fact that it was supposed to do so after the election.

To complete this project, it is estimated that the Government of State 1 will contribute 75% of the cost, the Biratnagar Metropolitan will contribute 25%, and the industry association Morang will contribute 5%.

-Suman Suskera