KATHMANDU, Jan. 13 -- Around one and a half decade into construction, 83 percent work on the Postal Highway has been completed. It will take around three more years for the national pride project to complete, it has been said.

Under the project considered to be a base for the prosperity of the Terai Madhesh, construction of 910 kilometers of road and 115 bridges have been completed.

The COVID-19 pandemic, disputes related to the project location and the border blockade are blamed for the delay, said Dharmendra Kumar Jha, chief of the Postal Highway Directorate. The construction of around 250 kilometers of road has yet to be contracted, and work on around 500 kilometers is underway, said the directorate.

Negligence of the contractors in...