The campaign has been initiated jointly by the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works (MoPPW), Town Development Committee, Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), and the traffic police.[break]
"As per our preliminary estimate, we need additional Rs 450 million to black-top the roads that are widened after demolition of illegal structures. So, we have apprised the Prime Minister today (Monday) of the shortage of fund that we are going to face," Tulasi Prasad Sitaula, secretary at the MoPPW, told Republica.
At a meeting with Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai, Minister for Physical Planning and Works (MoPPW) Hridayesh Tripathi and secretary Sitaula made an appraisal of the ongoing works and asked for the required fund through the Ministry of Finance (MoF).
"We have only Rs 50 million allocated in the current budget for regular expansion of roads in the Kathmandu valley. We asked for addition Rs 450 million to undertake black-topping of the expanded roads," Sitaula added.
As per the MoPPW estimate, Rs 270 million is required for black-topping the expanded sides of 3-km Maitighar-Tinkune section, Rs 80 million for 3-km Sital Niwas to Dilli Bazar section of Thirbam Road, Rs 60 million for 3-km Kupandole (Kandevta temple)-Sanepa road and Rs 40 million for other roads in Kathmandu and Lalitpur. Nine roads in Kathmandu and three roads in Lalitpur are to be widened under the current campaign.
At the meeting, PM Bhattarai appreciated the joint-effort to expand the existing traffic bottlenecks in the valley and directed the MoPPW to upgrade the roads keeping in view the upcoming SAARC summit in Nepal. "We are going to not only expand the roads but also upgrade them to match with the standards required for the upcoming 18th SAARC summit in our country," he said.
Experts have been pointing out growing encroachment of roads as the major reason for worsening traffic situation in the valley. However, several attempts failed in the past to widen the road by dismantling illegally-built structures due to pressure from influential people.
The expansion of roads was initiated to match the standard set by Town Development Committee in which the width of roads has been fixed between 8 meter and 61 meter, depending on the grade that the road belongs to.
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