DOLAKHA, Sep 1: The government has started preparations for opening a tender bid for linking Nepali road to China via Lamabagar of Dolakha district.

The tender for construction of the road which is said to be the most secured and easy among the geographical locations linking with China is expected to open this year in a single package investment.

Though there had been allocation of small budgets for the project in the past, linking the border was not in the government's priority for long. The study carried out by the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport two years ago has estimated the preliminary cost of Rs 1.5 billion to open up the border point.

The Upper Tamakoshi Project had constructed roads to Lamabagar village from Charikot, headquarters of Dolakha. The ministry and the Department of Roads have started homework for opening the tender bid of the construction of the remaining part of the 32-kilometer-long road linking to the border point. The Upper Tamakoshi project has constructed 68 kilometers of roads from Charikot to Lamabagar. The department has constructed three kilometers of tracks with partial contracts.

The government has planned to develop this road as the main way to connect the south and north sides of Sitamadhi, Lamabagar.

Devendra Karki, secretary at the ministry, informed that the homework for the construction of roads with tunnels through government resources is going on. "We are planning the construction of two kilometers of tunnel beside the under-construction dam site at Lamabagar to the Tibetan border point," Karki told Republica. "The government is working on opening the border and developing this road section as a road to link south and north."

Keshav Sharma, director-general of the department said that the contract will be handed over after the cabinet meeting concludes the modality of the project. "We have put forward the modality to make Chinese contractor that is handling the Upper Tamakoshi project dig the tunnel," he said, "The tender will be prepared after the decision on the modality of the project as soon as the prime minister returns to Nepal."

According to Sharma, the road will link Mahottari to Bardibas, Khurkot to Manthali (headquarters of Ramechhap), Nayapul of Dolakha to Singati and Lamabagar to Chinese border. The department has stated the need to construct a new track from Nayapul of Dolakha to Singati.

"We have thought of opening a new track from Nayapul to Singati as to shorten the distance," he said. "We will select a contractor in order to carry out the design and bid at the same time."

"Kerung and Tatopani are prone to landslide," an official at the department said, "The route does not have threats of a landslide because it is surrounded by hills."

 
• government
 
• lamabagar_border
 
• roads
 
• preparation