ROLPA, May 8: The asphalt layer of the 31-kilometer road stretch connecting Ghorahi of Dang to Holeri of Rolpa has worn off even before a year since the construction of the road.
Commuters have expressed utter dismay at the condition of the road after dozens of large potholes emerged on the newly-constructed road. Sheel Pacific JV was handed the contract worth Rs 408.3 million for the laying of the asphalt layer of the road which was constructed with loan from Exim Bank, India.
“Even though the project was under our supervision, the Road Improvement Development Project (RIPD) had the responsibility for the construction of the road,” said Sadhu Sharan Purbe, chief of the road project, adding, “The contractor has taken the responsibility to repair the road for one year.”
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The cure period of asphalt, the time needed for the asphalt to settle, is 12 months. Purbe said that the newly constructed road will not be handed over to the government until the cure period is over.
The road section looks worse than off-roads at dozens of places where the asphalt layers have worn off. According to the road project office, the asphalt layers have come off as a result of overloading by the tippers from cement industries in Holeri.
“While the vehicles are not permitted to carry more than ten tons of cargo, the tippers from the cement industries carry about 30 tons of stones along the road,” Purbe said, “The asphalt layer cannot withstand that much pressure.”
He added that although the cement industries have been repeatedly asked to stop overloading their vehicles citing the condition of the road, they have not given positive response.
“We have requested them verbally as well as in written form, however, they have turned a deaf ear to our request,” he said.
