Kamal Raj Pandey, joint secretary at the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works (MoPPW), told Republica that the ministry recently forwarded a request letter to India through the Ministry of Finance (MoF).[break]
“We have selected 27 feeder and postal roads in 18 districts and requested India to prepare DPR of those roads under the second phase of Tarai Road Project,” Pandey added.
The project will build a total of 46 roads in different Tarai district with Indian assistance.
Nepal and India had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2005 to conduct a survey design for the construction of 46 roads in the southern parts of the East-West Highway. Eighteen districts -- Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara, Chitwan, Nawalparasi, Kapilvastu, Dang, Banke, Bardia, Kailali and Kanchanpur - have been selected for the second phase of the project.
“Around Rs 9 billion has been estimated to implement the project under which India 885 km of roads will be built with Indian assistance. Nepal will build around 50 bridges,” Pandey added.
Implementation of the first phase of the project, which includes 19 roads, began four months ago, following the first meeting of Nepal-India Joint Project Implementation Committee (JPIC) of Tarai Roads in the second week of November. Dhangadhi-Satbhajania (61 km) and Tikapur-Khagraula (27 km) roads will be built in the first package.
A total of 605 kilometers will be constructed in Kailali, Banke, Bardia, Dang, Bara, Parsa, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Dhanusha, Jhapa, Morang and Saptari districts in the first phase.
Meanwhile, the JPIC meeting was held on Saturday to review implementation of the first phase of project for which India has pledged assistance of Rs 6 billion. Nepal will have to bear land acquisition cost and construct 44 bridges.
Pandey and Satish Mehta, joint secretary at the Ministry of External Affairs of India, had led their respective governments in the meeting that also decided to initiate the process of constructing remaining roads by May.
Officials of both the countries are visiting construction sites in Dhangadhi district on Tuesday.
The 1540-km Tarai Road Project, which includes 46 roads to be constructed in three phases, aims to improve road connectivity of the country´s southern belt with other strategic locations in those districts.
The project will build 50 km of roads in Jhapa, 22 km in Morang, 18 km in Saptari, 92 km in Dhanusha, 57 km in Mahottari, 69 km in Sarlahi, 68 km in Bara, 33 km in Kapilvastu, 49 km in Banke, 35 km in Bardia, 100 km in Kailali, 34 km in Dang and 68 km in Parsa under the first phase.
Related story
DPR of Jumla Airport in limbo, crew flying taking risks
-1200x560-1779450784.webp)
