People will not be allowed to dig roads till the monsoon season is over. The Federal Road Supervision and Monitoring Office, under the Department of Roads, has issued a notice stating that no individual or entity will be allowed to dig roads from today till mid-September.
The office has mentioned that when roads are dug up to repair water pipelines, sewer pipes, or for telephone and electricity lines then it is difficult to repair the roads during the monsoon, hence the restrictions have been put into place.
The office has also mentioned that if anybody is found digging roads within the specified period then legal action will be initiated against that person as per the Public Roads Act, 2031. Spokesperson and Information Officer of Federal Road Supervision and Monitoring Office, Shiva Prasad Nepal, informed that when roads are dug during the monsoon then repairing and black-topping them immediately is not possible due to which roads get damaged further. Hence, the new restriction has been implemented, he added.
However, Nepal added that the roads which are being expanded at the moment can continue with their work. Similarly, work related to laying pipes for Melamchi Drinking Water Project and repairing pipes for which permission has already been granted can be continued, he said. He also mentioned that if it is very necessary then permission can be taken from the concerned authority.