UDAYAPUR, April 22: The Siddhicharan Highway which was blocked for four days by locals demanding upgrading of the dilapidated road, resumed this morning.
The Local Road Upgradation Struggle Committee had been blocking the road since Monday. But the road was reopened after a three-point agreement was reached between the road stakeholders and dissident group on Wednesday evening.
‘Sishnupani Nepal’ awarded with Siddhicharan Puraskar
The traffic on the 46 kilometers Katari-Ghurmi section of the highway connecting Mirchaiya to Siraha was disrupted due to the road blocking by the struggle committee. The struggle committee had blocked the road demanding upgrading of dilapidated roads with blacktop, ensuring budget for them, deployment of equipment like excavators, JCBs for immediate repair in case of damage and installation of water tanks to settle dust.
According to Katari Mayor Gyanendra Shrestha, the road was reopened after the three-point agreement was reached between the Area Administration Office, Katari, Area Police Katari, Katari Municipality and the Struggle Committee on Wednesday evening. According to him, it has been agreed to spend Rs 150 million on road maintenance from Lahan Road Division Office for upgrading the Katari-Ghurmi road section, set up a separate road division office and to send a delegation to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development to ensure the budget within seven days.
Although not mentioned in the three-point agreement, it has been agreed to prepare a Detailed Project Report to open alternative routes as the demand of the consumers, start repair work within three days and fix the budget for a multi-year plan of Rs 1 billion.
Dipak Budhathoki, coordinator of the struggle committee, said that the consumers have agreed to open the road after a promise by the authorities to fulfill their demands.
The discussion was held at Ghurmi Bazaar of Katari Municipality-14. Division Road Office Lahan Chief (DE) Rabindralal Das, Mayor Shrestha, Deputy Mayor Bhim Kumari Raut, Constituent Assembly member Bhes Kumari Raut, Struggle Committee Coordinator and Chairman of Katari Ward No.11 Deepak Budhathoki were present in the discussion.
