Kaski. The contract agreement for the construction of a bridge across Firkekhola connecting Pokhara Metropolitan City-4 and 5 has been terminated. The Road Division Office Pokhara had entered into a contract agreement for the construction of the bridge in Asoj 2075 BS, but the construction company did not complete the work and did not show any initiative to do so.
The contract agreement had to be terminated as Shanti-Arogya JV Sanepa Lalitpur, which had been awarded the contract for the construction of the bridge, did not complete the work despite repeated extensions, said Nawaraj Bastola, Chief and Senior Divisional Engineer of the Road Division Office Pokhara.
He said, ‘The contract agreement has been terminated as per the rules as the company has not shown commitment and readiness to complete the work despite repeated extensions to complete the bridge construction. Now, after the source is confirmed by the Ministry of Finance, the new contract process will begin.’
Similarly, the Road Division Office has recommended that the construction company of the bridge, Shanti-Arogya JV, be blacklisted.
‘The amount for performance, advance security and deposit will be confiscated in accordance with the provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2063 BS, Section 59 (8) and the contract agreement. “We will also measure and evaluate the work completed so far and the remaining work within eight to 15 days in the presence of the Office Pokhara, the Office of the Controller of Administration, Treasury and Accounts, and the construction entrepreneur or his authorized representative,” said Office Chief Bastola.
The construction process of a new bridge has been initiated after accidents increased due to a narrow bridge over the Firkekhola in the middle of the six-lane road from Zero km in Pokhara to Bindhyabasini along the Pokhara-Baglung Highway. The Road Division Office had signed a contract agreement for the construction of two spans of the currently under construction narrow bridge, each 11 meters wide and 50 meters long, at a cost of Rs 171 million.
Although the contract stipulated that the construction of the bridge should be completed within 30 months, that is, by Chaitra 30, 2077 BS, the construction company had been delaying it by making various excuses. The deadline for completing the bridge construction was extended three times.
As the Firkekhola bridge is narrow, many accidents are occurring. Locals have also been pressuring the district administration and other offices to complete the bridge construction within the stipulated time.
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