-Prakash Silwal/Taranath Acharya
Balewa, December 18: Nepal Army has handed over a 30 km roadway along the Kaligandaki corridor to Road Department on Tuesday (Dec 17). The roadway of strategic importance stretches in Gulmi (20 km) and Baglung district (10 km). The roadway was handed over to the Road Department amidst a program held here in the presence of Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Gyawali.
Now, the Road Department would upgrade and blacktop the road. The corridor links the borders to neighboring countries- Sunauli of India in the south and Korala of China in the north. Even an agreement was made at a high level between Nepal and China on the operation of Korala border point. Nepal Army had begun the construction of a 12 km road section stretching from Pahandi to Arweni in Gulmi six years back.
The Development Directorate of NA had formed the ‘Kaligandaki Corridor Construction Taskforce’. The NA was further tasked to open track in 80 km from Ridi of Gulmi to Maldhunga of Baglung. Upgradation of this section is also over. At the handover program, Minister Gyawali urged the constructor entrepreneurs to accomplish development works on time and contribute to the national campaign of prosperity.
He, who is also the people’s representative from Gulmi, warned that the government would take strong action to those violating the agreement on construction. According to him, the road construction along the Kaligandaki corridor would not only boost economic activities in Baglung and Gulmi but also help set up trade relations between India and China. So, such a national pride project would not face a shortage of budget, he assured. Government has put in priority the construction of roadway, he added.
“People have given us mandate to development and stability, and we fulfill it,” he said, adding that efforts were underway to bring meaningful change in the country. As he said, it is time to give up the lowly feeling of a ‘yam between two boulders’. There is no option but to accelerate development activities for nation-building. The Minister also shared that the government had decided that even the tender notice could be issued together with the environmental impact assessment report and DPR so that the construction work would not delay.
On the occasion, National Assembly member Dinanath Sharma said the Road Department needs to accomplish the remaining task after the NA handed over the roadway. Member of the House of Representatives from Baglung, Dr. Surya Pathak, thanked all sides including construction team, land donors and other stakeholders for completing the construction on time. Chief of Army Staff Purna Chandra Thapa reminded that NA always fulfills the responsibility given to it. The remaining section of the corridor would be accomplished by coming July.
