14-km stretch formally opened
KATHMANDU, JUL 26 -
The 14-km stretch of the 37-km Khurkot (Bara)-Nepalthok (Sindhuli) section of the Sindhuli Road was formally opened for public use on Wednesday.
Now, only the work on 23-km stretch of the road section remains for the completion of the 160-km alternative road, linking the Capital with the Eastern Tarai.
The road segment was jointly inaugurated by Tulasi Prasad Sitaula, secretary at the Ministry of Physical Planning, Works and Transport Management; Mitsuyoshi Kawasaki, chief representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA); Shuichi Sakakibara, minister-counsellor of the Embassy of Japan; Sindhuli CDO Beni Madhav Gyawali; and other guests. The 14-km section was completed last month at a cost of Rs 3.65 billion.
Remaining work on the Khurkot-Nepalthok section is targeted for completion by March 2015, according to the Physical Planning Ministry. Work on other three sections — Bardibas-Sindhuli (37 km), Sindhuli Bazaar-Khurkot (36 km), and Nepalthok-Dhulikhel (50 km) has already been completed.
Addressing a programme organised to mark the opening of the road here on Wednesday, Physical Planning Minister Hridayesh Tripathi thanked the Japan government for its contribution, saying that road project helped change the livelihood of the people living in areas along the road.
Japan has so far provided grant assistance of Rs 28 billion for the Sindhuli road. Construction began in 1996 with an objective to develop the road as an alternative link between the Kathmandu valley and the Eastern Tarai, reduce travel time, and stimulate socio-economic activities in hilly areas of Kavre, Ramechhap, and Sindhuli districts.
According to Kunio Takahashi, Japan’s ambassador to Nepal, the road provides better road access, improve traffic movement and help reduce poverty in areas along the highway.
Two weeks ago, Japan provided financial assistance of Rs 5.59 billion for the construction of 19.4 km stretch of the remaining 23 km of the Khurkot-Nepalthok section.
Source: The Kathmandu Post
