OKHALDHUNGA, May 24 -- Construction of three bridges along the Sindhuli segment of Mid Hill Highway has been dragging on for the past eight years.

Two of the bridge projects, which are being constructed over Khangsang and Sokhu streams in Fikkal Rural Municipality-4, were contracted to Pappu Construction and a joint venture of Nepal Pragati and Pappu Construction JV, while the third bridge project at Badura stream in Fikkal Rural Municipality-6 was commissioned to Sagarmatha Construction Services.

The builders had agreed to complete the bridges in three years. Eight years have elapsed since the projects were commissioned, and yet the bridges are far from complete. Pappu Construction, which is notorious for missing contract deadlines and...