Surkhet. The Road Division Surkhet has initiated the process to terminate the contract after the contractor failed to complete the project despite repeated reminders. The Road Division Surkhet has terminated the contract agreements with four contractors for not completing the construction as per the agreement.

Information Officer of the Division, Rupesh KC, said that the contract was terminated as per the terms and conditions of the Public Procurement Act-2063 BS and the contract agreement as the work could not be completed within the stipulated time despite repeated warnings, instructions and extension of the deadline.

Issuing a public notice, the Division has cancelled the contract for four road and bridge construction projects in Surkhet. According to the notice, the contract has been terminated as per the legal provision as the contractor has not fulfilled the obligations as per the agreement and the expected progress was not made despite repeated requests to complete the work.

Among the projects that terminated the agreement, MS Adventure JV Banke was awarded the contract for the construction of pre-stressed RCC motorable bridge over Goche River under Sahare Health Chowki-Beteni road. Similarly, Jaya Buddha-Nepal Mega Builders JV Surkhet was given the responsibility to construct a prestressed RCC bridge over Bhalukune River along the Gumi-Patihalna road.

Likewise, TDR Construction Pvt Ltd Dhangadhi was awarded the contract to construct RCC bridge over Khurra River in Dailekh along the Surkhet-Jumla road while Janata Builders Bheriganga-9, Surkhet was responsible for the rehabilitation, drainage and road conservation of Harre-Bangesimal section of Ratna Highway. The notice states that the contract agreement with all the four projects was terminated after the construction of the project failed to make satisfactory progress.

According to the Division, the contract has been terminated as per Clause 59 (7) of the Public Procurement Act, 2063 and GCC provisions of the contract agreement. The notice also states that the necessary process will be forwarded as per the law by conducting post-termination evaluation as per the Public Procurement Regulations and the financial loss incurred by the government will be recovered from the concerned contractors.

The Division has urged the concerned contractor to contact the office within 15 days from the date of publication of the notice and complete the financial clearance process. Lately, the government has been tightening the issue of sick contracts, citing that the problem of prolonging the road and bridge projects has increased due to the delay in completing the works on time.