PM to inaugurate two big projects in Rupandehi today

BUTWAL: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is scheduled to inaugurate two big projects in Rupandehi district today. The projects are the Government Medical College Office and Upgrading of Butwal-Narayangadh section under the East-West Highway. The Prime Minister will inaugurate the Government Medical College Office at Naya Mill, Tilottama municipality-1 at 11 am, the office chief Man Bahadur Ghimire said.
Also on Friday, PM Oli will lay the foundation for the project to upgrade Butwal-Narayangadh section of the East-West highway near Butwal Mandap at Butwal Sib-Metropolitan City-8 at 12.30 pm.
Nepal Communist Party (NCP) general secretary and former Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel had made special contribution in bringing both projects in the district. The feasibility study of the road upgrading project has already been carried out.
The 113 kilometres long Butwal-Narayangadh section of the highway would be improved within the next three and half years and works have been planned accordingly, said Suresh Neupane, the chief engineer of the Project’s west section.
The road distance would be reduced nearly by half the present distance between Butwal and Narayangadh with the completion of the road upgrading project. It is three hours’ drive from Butwal to Narayangadh at present. This distance can be covered in at least one and hour to 1 hour 50 minutes by vehicle once the 113 kilometers road section is upgraded into a four-lane road.
The road upgrading project would be completed at an estimated cost of approximately Rs 17 billion. Eighty-five per cent of the cost would be covered by the concessional loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the remaining cost would be borne by Government of Nepal.
The ADB Road Directorate under the Department of Roads has signed an agreement with the China State Construction Company for the road upgrading project.