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Road improvement plan stalls
KATHMANDU, JUN 09 -
Maintenance and upgrading of 97 km of roads in the Kathmandu Valley in preparation for Nepal Tourism Year 2011 has not started as planned because the National Planning Commission (NPC) has not given its okay.
The Road Division offices of the three districts — Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur — had submitted a project proposal jointly to the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works three months ago aiming to complete the work by 2010 end. Following a request from the Ministry of Tourism, the Physical Planning Ministry had directed the three Road Division offices to carry out the road maintenance and upgrading work. A total of Rs. 480 million has been proposed for the project.
An official at the Physical Planning Ministry said that they had forwarded the proposal to the NPC for agreement in principle on April 29. “We have not received any comment from the NPC till date,” the official said. “We cannot do anything until we receive the go-ahead from the NPC.”
The NPC said that it had become “technically difficult” to make a decision as the project had demanded funds within the current fiscal year asking that the outlay be adjusted in the next budget.
“As we are positive toward the project, it doesn’t mean we will not approve it,” said NPC member Dinesh Devkota. “We will give our okay as soon as the Ministry of Finance approves the budget.”
According to the Road Division, Kathmandu, the project aims to carry out maintenance and upgrading work on 30 km of roads in Kathmandu. The routes to be improved are Kalanki-Tripureshwor, Tripureshwor-Balaju Bypass, Maharajgunj-Budhanilkantha, Manohara-Maharajgunj-Balkhu, Balkhu-Kuleshwor-Kalimati, Gothatar-Gaurighat-Mitrapark, Bhandarkhal-Kalopul, Teku-Pachali, Khasi Bazaar-Kirtipur-Machhegaun-Tinthana and Anamnagar-Min Bhawan-Old Baneshwor.
Similarly, in Lalitpur, 32 km of roads will be improved. They are Sunakothi-Lele bus stand, Satdobato-Karmanash Bridge, Lubhu-Thaiba-Bhootkhel, Nakhu-Bhanimandal-Dhobighat-Campion College, Gwarko-Pulchok-Balkhu, Nakhu Bridge-Bungamati, Prayag Pokhari-Gwarko and Saugal Chok-Bholadhoka-Balkumari.
In Bhaktapur, 35 km of roads have been targeted for improvement. The roads are Sallaghari-Byasi-Durbar Square, Durbar Square-Kamal Binayak-Sudal Chok and Sallaghari-Nagarkot
“If the government gives priority, the work will be completed within three months,” said Bala Ram Mishra, chief of the Road Division, Kathmandu.
Posted on: 2010-06-10 08:07
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