Kathmandu, March 24 -- Hira Maharjan owns a clothing store in Naikap. Every day, thousands of vehicles pass by his shop, which is along the Kalanki-Nagdhunga road section. The spot is perfect to receive customers, but the under-construction road has become Maharjan's bane, for he sits all day in his shop wearing a mask to protect himself from the dust emanating from the road.

"I wonder when this road construction works will complete," said Maharjan as he made a futile attempt to clear the layers of dust from the clothes hanging in his store. "The delayed road expansion work is hampering business."

Those who live along the Kalanki-Nagdhunga section and those who take this nine-kilometre road every day say they have been driven to despair...