Nepal urges India to facilitate construction of suspension bridges over border rivers

KATHMANDU, Aug 12: Visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Bikram Misri paid a courtesy call on Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Urban Development Prakash Man Singh on Monday. Secretary Misri, who is on a two-day visit to Nepal, paid a courtesy call on Deputy Prime Minister Singh at the Ministry of Urban Development on Monday morning. During the meeting, Misri congratulated Deputy Prime Minister Singh and wished him success in his tenure.

During the meeting, there was a discussion on potential cooperation between Nepal and India, in areas such as urban development, waste management, and cleaning Bagmati, Bishnumati and other rivers. Deputy Prime Minister Singh urged Misri for cooperation stating that the Swachh Bharat Mission in India and the experience and technology of Ganges River cleaning could benefit Nepal. Similarly, stating that citizens are facing problems in transportation, he said that India's facilitation is needed for the construction of suspension bridges on the Mahakali River.

In the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Singh thanked India for its support to Nepal in various fields such as infrastructure development, earthquake and Covid-19 pandemic. Mani Ram Gelal, secretary of the Ministry of Urban Development, said, "There was a discussion about what kind of assistance India could provide in the area of Nepal’s urban development. We have also launched a campaign to displace tuins (improvised cable crossings). A construction for  a suspension bridge across the border river requires the consent of India. We have raised these issues to make the consent process simple and easy. However, they were positive about it.”

During the meeting, there was a positive discussion on cooperation in the exchange of experience and technology related to waste management and cleaning of the Ganges River, which is being done under the Swachh Bharat Mission in several Indian cities including Indore. Indian Foreign Secretary Misri said that India will always support Nepal for its peace, stability and prosperity.