Although the project has been dubbed as a project of national pride, negligence by contractors had long been delaying the construction works. At present, NA personnel have been using explosives to clear obstructions including the ones in Khulalu-Humla-Simikot road section.
Locals of Kalikot, Karnali, Humla, Bajura and Mugu now hope they will soon have access to road after the project gathered momentum. Construction of the 192-km road section from Khulalu of Kalikot to Simikot of Humla, which started in 2001, had not made any headway until the NA took over the charge in March 22 last year.
Within 10 months of taking the responsibility, the NA has been swiftly clearing paths in Ralighat, Aamtada cliff and Bhurabagar cliff. Under the project, construction of 40 km road in Kalikot, 43 km in Bajura and 113 km in Humla is underway.
"We will complete construction of 68 km road from Khulalu of Kalikot to Atichaur of Bajura district within this fiscal year," said Colonel Indra Bir Gurung, chief of NA's road construction taskforce. "We aim to complete the construction of 15 km road within a month," he added.
There are some huge rocks measuring eight kilometers in length from Khulalu to Simikot of Humla. Although the NA aims to complete the Karnali Corridor project within five years, there are possibilities that the work might finish before that timeframe, claimed Colonel Gurung.
After the project gets completed, it would be the shortest highway linking both of our neighbors China and India.
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