6-lane road develops cracks

ALINA SHAKYA

While the discussion about the short lived condition of the country roadway being constructed by different sources within the country is at its top level ,we are now facing the same problem with roadway being constructed by foreigners.

Just two months have passed since the six –lane Tinkune- Suryabinayak road came into full operation, this road which is assumed to be of international level has been found with cracks and potholes.

Technicians, who earlier used to say the road needs no repair for the first five years, are shocked to find crack surfacing at Thimi Chowk and Hanumante bridge. Two small burrows infront of Radhe-radhe have been reconstructed overnight.

The six-lane road, stretching 9.1 km was constructed by Hazama ( a Japanese contract firm). The Tinkune-Suryabinayak stretch of the Arniko Highway was widened under the Kathmandu-Bhaktapur Road Improvement Project with a grant assistance of Rs 2 billion from the government of Japan and Rs 400 million as counterpart fund from Nepal.

Every minute more than 60 vehicles move through this road and though the concerned authority bets that it can hold the speed of vehicles with 80km per hour. The ongoing devastating condition of the road has become the headache of local people.

Whatever the cause of damage, Hazama has decided to repair the damaged sections.The Japanese contractor did its job on time, but the work that the Nepal government was supposed to carry out is yet to be completed. Construction of railings along the road and construction of service tracks left and right the road has not been completed.