Arjun Tumrok, the proprietor of Tumrok Construction, was honoured in Urlabari on Thursday for completing a major road construction project within the stipulated time. The road, constructed with support from the World Bank, had a completion deadline by the end of Asar (mid-July), and was operational by the third week of August.

The road was officially inaugurated on Thursday by Prakirna Tuladhar, Deputy Director General of the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction, along with Urlabari Municipality Mayor Ganga Prasad Kharel and Deputy Mayor Meena Kumari Khatiwada.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Director General Tuladhar informed that the World Bank was investing 150 billion dollars to support infrastructure and development programmes in partnership with local governments.

He said that infrastructure expansion and capacity-building initiatives were currently underway in 150 municipalities, with 12 of them receiving targeted support for capacity development.

He emphasised the need to expand roads, infrastructure, and access to clean drinking water to strengthen local governance. He said that projects beyond the financial capacity of municipalities were being implemented with World Bank support.

Mayor Kharel stressed that road construction alone was not enough and called for the active involvement of local residents to ensure road safety and maintenance.

He also brought attention to the proposed construction of a ring road in Urlabari and urged collective participation in development projects. He further advised that any technical errors during construction should be corrected.

Former Deputy Mayor Laxmi Devi Bhandari said that past political conflicts hindered the implementation of two major development projects despite having awarded contracts.

Speaking on behalf of the National Urban Government and Infrastructure Project (NUGIP), Deputy Director Jhapar Bahadur Bishwokarma said that the government launched this mega project in collaboration with the World Bank to connect underprivileged settlements with main roads.

Nepali Congress Urlabari Municipal Committee President Surendra Limbu acknowledged that although the construction was halted for eight months, the project was still completed within the agreed timeframe. He emphasised that with support from locals and the government, contractors can finish projects ahead of schedule if they are committed.

Contractor Arjun Tumrok said that the project was delayed for eight months after Sharada Prasad Adhikari, the Nepal representative of the main contractor company, froze the funds.

He said that he had initially decided to halt the project upon Rs. 18.9 million was withheld, but resumed work after intervention and coordination from the municipality.

The road project, estimated at a cost of Rs. 361 million, funded by the World Bank, was contracted on March 5, 2023, with the foundation stone laid on September 25, 2023. The main contract was awarded to SIPL Infra, a Hyderabad-based Indian company, through a global tender. SIPL Infra subcontracted the work to Tumrok Construction in Urlabari.

The road, completed by mid-July this year, ranges from 5.5 to 7 metres in width, with dedicated bicycle lanes (1.2 metres on each side), footpaths and drainage (1.8 metres), and tick drains (0.25 metres).

As a flagship project for Urlabari, the road is equipped with 526 street lights spaced 20 metres apart and features tree plantations every 10 metres, with 1,047 saplings planted. The road also includes 40 pipe culverts, two box culverts, and 40 zebra crossings.

The final cost of the project amounted to Rs. 413.1 million after an additional Rs. 50.3 million was required to complete the work.

By Hari Prasad Koirala