Seti Bridge construction deadline extended again to Falgun 21, 2083 BS

The deadline for the construction of the Seti Bridge at Prithvi Chowk in Pokhara, part of the Prithvi Highway, has been extended for the second time.

The deadline for this bridge, under the Muglin-Pokhara Road Project’s western section, has been extended to Falgun 21, 2083 BS.

A contract was signed on Bhadra 26, 2079 BS, to construct two concrete bridges, each 190 meters long, upstream and downstream of the current Seti Bridge, at a cost of NPR 1.07 billion.

Despite an agreement with M/S Rasuwa Construction Company Pvt. Ltd. to complete the bridge within three years with funding from the Asian Development Bank, the work was not finished, leading to the first extension in Bhadra.

According to Krishna Bahadur Kunwar, the project chief of the Muglin-Pokhara Road Project’s western section, physical progress is around 61 percent. He stated that there are no longer any obstacles to construction, and the company will complete the work within the extended deadline.

On the north side of the Seti River, two houses had to be demolished to provide road access to landowners and businesses according to the Asian Development Bank’s policy.

However, delays occurred due to unresolved issues regarding compensation and land acquisition demands from landowners. Recently, landowners Kedar Poudel and Madhav Poudel accepted compensation and committed to vacating the structures by the first week of Ashadh, according to project chief Kunwar.

The construction company faced delays due to late arrivals of materials from China and issues like relocating water pipes.

“Landowners were initially dissatisfied with the compensation determined by the administration and refused to accept it, causing further delays. They have now accepted the compensation, and there are no more issues on-site, so work will not be halted,” Kunwar said.

So far, 120 pile foundations have been completed, along with the pile caps and four towers. Additionally, the girder and cross girder work on one of the bridges has been completed.