Govt to improve road connectivity

Highlights

Govt to undertake construction of Tarai fast track

Three flyovers in Kalanki, Chabahil and Maharajgunj

Bajura and Manag district headquarters to be connected with road network

15 districts to be linked with black topped roads

40 bridges to be constructed

KATHMANDU, July 12: Placing ´enhancing connectivity´ at the top among the programs, the government is set to announce numerous high priority infrastructure development projects in the upcoming budget. [break]

Construction of Kathmandu-Tarai fast track road, an alternative road between the capital city and the Tarai, will feature among the three core projects of the government. "It will also promise to connect two more districts with the national road network and link 15 districts with black-topped roads under the program," said a source.

The government has set a target to link roads with district headquarters of Bajura and Manang by mid-December. If the program translates into action, it will leave only three districts -- Humla, Rolpa and Mugu -- out of the national road network.

The Ministry of Physical Planning and Works (MoPPW) has estimated that the government will need to spend over Rs 28 billion on infrastructure development in 2009/10.

The figure includes Rs 2 billion that the ministry has sought for black-topping the roads linking 15 district headquarters.

Moreover, MoPPW has proposed budget worth Rs 250 million for clearing the track for the Kathmandu-Tarai fast-track road.

While the first move of the government will be to develop the fast-track road under build-own-operate-and transfer (BOOT) scheme, the government is prepared to start construction immediately if global firms bidding for the job shy away from working in the 80km-long road owing to the global financial crisis.

Reliance India Ltd and Landmark Company of Korea have been shortlisted to construct the road under BOOT model of infrastructure development.

It also includes budget of Rs 2 billion and Rs 800 million that have been proposed for speeding up the construction of Melamchi Drinking Water Project and improving the drinking water supply in the Kathmandu Valley respectively.

Sources said the budget will also reiterate programs such as construction of corridor roads along local rivers including Dhobi Khola, Bishnumati and Manahara for fighting traffic congestion in the Kathmandu Valley.

It will also announce construction of three flyovers in Kalanki, Chabahi and Narayan Gopal Chowk of Maharajgunj.

Due to slow progress in constructing 80 km Hilsa-Simikot road, the Department of Roads (DoR) is taking over the construction work from the next fiscal year to complete the project within the next two years. Humla DDC had initiated the project under the Food for Work program of the UN World Food Program seven years ago. Likewise, the ministry has sought about Rs 1 billion to complete construction of 40 bridges among 110 bridges being constructed under three-year interim plan.

The MoPPW has also sought about Rs 80 million for the designing of proposed 1100-km long East-West electric railway.

prabhakar@myrepublica.com