KATHMANDU, Feb 1: Physical Infrastructure and Transport Minister Prakash Jwala has inspected the Ganeshman Singh Marg (Thankot-Chandragiri-Chitlang) road.

On Wednesday, Chandragiri Municipality Mayor Ghanshyam Giri along with Minister Jwala inspected the road.

After the government was criticized for being lax due to lack of budget, Minister Jwala came to the monitor after the Ministry of Finance decided to provide Rs 50.99 million on January 26 for the construction work to be done in the current fiscal year.

The Ministry of Finance has written to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and has agreed to spend the budget by ensuring sources of funds equal to the liabilities created for the next fiscal year.

The Divisional Road Office, Kathmandu, which oversees the said road, requested Rs 2200 million for the current fiscal year, but received only Rs 20 million.

After monitoring and inspection, Minister Jwala said that the upgradation should be accelerated after the budget is ensured.

Thousands of commuters risk their lives on the Chandragiri Road, a short distance route to places like Chandrapur in Rautahat, Nijgadh in Bara, Birgunj in Parsa, Hetauda in Makwanpur and Thaha Nagar.

The drivers, passengers and locals had been protesting against the government's slow decision to build the Thankot-Chandragiri-Chitlang road section.

On January 17, the leaders of Makwanpur met Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and drew his attention to the fact that thousands of people had to travel risking their lives every day. In reply, PM Dahal said that the budget will be managed to upgrade the Thankot-Chandragiri-Chitlang road.

According to Narayana Datta Bhandari, head of the Road Division Office, Kathmandu, four kilometers out of the 22 kilometers of the Thankot-Chandragiri-Chitlang road section is very risky to travel.

On January 13, five people died when a jeep traveling from Kathmandu to Chitlang via Thankot-Chandragiri met with an accident.

 
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