The hospital under construction in Takam, Dhawalagiri Rural Municipality of western Myagdi, could not be completed even after the extension of the deadline for the second time. According to the Nepal government’s plan to build hospitals at all local levels, the construction of the Takam Myagdi Hospital building has only shown 65% physical progress so far.
According to Motiprasad Aryal, the Chief Administrative Officer of the rural municipality, a tender was called based on an estimated cost of Rs. 671,57,269. For the construction of the building, BM–IS–AC JV, a construction company based in Burtibang, Dhorpatan Municipality of Baglung, signed a contract worth Rs. 488,72,123 on April 25, 2021. As per the agreement, the construction was supposed to be completed by May 2023. However, Aryal stated that the construction has still not been completed. So far, the physical progress has reached 65%, and the financial progress stands at around 50%. The rural municipality has already paid Rs. 234,59,782 to the construction company.
According to Sub-Engineer Lokendra Bahadur Rawal of the rural municipality, the contract period for the hospital building construction was extended twice, each time by one year, after the initial deadline expired. He stated that although the deadline has been extended, there is still uncertainty about whether the project will be completed within the extended period due to the lack of progress. The first extension was made on June 8 after the initial term ended, and the currently extended deadline is set to expire on July 9, 2025.
The hospital is an earthquake-resistant, disability-friendly building which will include separate rooms for emergency, inpatient, outpatient, laboratory, administrative services, medicine storage, and treatment. Once the Takam hospital is completed, residents of Dhawalagiri Rural Municipality as well as those from the western part of Baglung will be able to access its services.