Nepal, June 29 -- Road infrastructure projects along the Karnali Highway are facing prolonged delays and widespread contract failures, leaving key sections in poor condition and disrupting daily travel for local communities. Years after repeated repair efforts and public investment, large stretches of the highway remain incomplete, with contractors failing to deliver despite extensions, advance payments and official warnings.

The situation has forced authorities to cancel dozens of stalled contracts in recent months, exposing persistent issues in public procurement and project execution along one of Nepal's most difficult highway corridors.

In the province, the Road Division Office in Jumla has cancelled 16 long-stalled contracts along ...