National
Blast use discouraged to widen Muglin road
Consultant companies have turned down a request to allow blasting rocks for widening the road along the Narayangadh-Muglin section, citing environmental effects.Rastriya Samachar Samiti
Consultant companies have turned down a request to allow blasting rocks for widening the road along the Narayangadh-Muglin section, citing environmental effects.
Contractor Supreme Rautaha JV had requested to allow it to use explosives to level a 100-metre stretch of the hillside, 80 metres in height, in the course of road expansion drive.
The contractor stated in the request letter that it would need to blast off the rock on the hillside, citing difficulties in cutting 100 metres of rock face at the stretch called 33 kilo.
The consultants have asked for alternatives to using explosives. “Althogh the consultants have sought reasons for resorting to using explosives, it implies that they are suggesting us other alternatives,” said the contractor.
“It is not appropriate to set off an explosion at a place where the traffic pressure is high. The explosion may cause the whole hillside to cave in, setting off landslides in the long run,” said BN Singh, the team leader of a consultant company, over the phone. Three consultant companies from Nepal, India and South Korea are overseeing the project.
The project, which should have been completed by now, has been delayed due to various factors including the earthquake of April 25, 2015, said the contractor, adding that only 45 percent of the road expansion has been completed so far.