Disputes between contractors delay construction of prison buildings

Disputes between contractors have led to a delay in the construction of regional level prison buildings. Only 18 percent of the construction works has been completed so far despite project deadline expired two months ago.

Initially, the project contract was awarded to Pappu-Rasuwa joint venture at the cost of Rs 386 million three years ago. But the joint venture left the project halfway after completing only five percent of construction work in two and a half years. Following this, the federal project implementation unit, Nepalgunj under the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction took action against the joint venture by confiscating its over Rs 70 million bank guarantee.

Thenafter, Rasuwa Construction Company is single handedly taking care of the construction since five months ago, said Ganesh Karmacharya, chief of the project implementation unit.

"We confiscated joint venture’s bank guarantee for delaying the project. Around 18 percent of the construction has been over after the Company started looking after the project single handedly," he said.

Although the Company proposed one and a half years’ extension of the project, the deadline could be extended by one year, he said. Around 150 workers now are being mobilised for the construction of the building which is expected to house 3000 prisoners.