The Ministry of Physical Planning and Works had asked the Ministry of Finance to allocate an additional budget of Rs. 949.4 million four months ago. However, the ministry approved the proposal only about five weeks ago.
“The lengthy process leading to the approval of the additional budget has delayed construction,” said a source at the ministry. “As a result, only around 50 bridges will be completed as we don’t have sufficient time to finish the rest within this fiscal year.”
The Ministry of Finance had allocated an additional budget through virement or budget transfer from one heading to another. The ministry has transferred Rs. 150 million from the BP Highway Project, Rs. 391.23 million from the Tanakpur Link Road Project, Rs. 230 million from the Road Improvement Project and Rs. 530.27 million from the Flood Damage Reconstruction Project.
The government had targeted building 71 bridges in 34 districts. They include 13 bridges across national highways, 18 connecting district headquarters, 15 connecting two districts, seven across urban roads and 18 across general roads.
According to the Department of Roads, the government has spent Rs. 1.05 billion on the construction of these bridges as of the last fiscal year. This year, the government had allocated Rs. 438.5 million for the bridges, which was less than required.
“The 71 bridges are among the 104 bridges which were supposed to be completed under the three-year plan which ends this year,” said Tulsi Prasad Sitaula, joint secretary at the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works, adding that 50 bridges will be completed while the remaining budget will be frozen as per the rules.
For the next fiscal year, the department has demanded Rs. 4 billion for construction of 60 new SRN bridges, design and building of eight bridges including one across the Karnali and carryover bridge projects. However, the government has set a budget ceiling of Rs. 1.44 billion for the next fiscal year.
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