DoR has no new construction plans for next fiscal year

KATHMANDU: Department of Roads has no new construction projects for the financial year 2020/21.

Due to the decline in the budget and the rationale to continue the ongoing projects unless they are completed rather than spreading the limited budget to many projects, the DoR has decided to make the ongoing projects go ahead.

DoR was given the ceiling of 185 billion rupees for the forthcoming fiscal year. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the federal government is likely to reduce the budget this year.

“As the liability and payment may be adversely impacted due to the budget decline, we decided not to incorporate new projects for the forthcoming session,” an official at DoR said.

Shiva Hari Sapkota, the deputy director of DoR, however, clarified that not introducing a new project does not mean bidding any tender for the ongoing projects.

“When we add new projects, the incomplete projects may be discarded,” he said, “we will ask for the budget required for the ongoing projects.”

There are 1137 bridges under construction under the Bridge Branch. There are 330 bridges in national highways and projects.

About 200 bridges are going to be constructed in the current fiscal year.

Similarly, there are 866 strategic roads to be constructed under DoR.

The department is planning to expand East-West Highway and Prithvi Highway as well. The Narayangadh-Butwal sector of Mahendra Highway is under construction. A detailed project plan (DPR) is prepared for other sectors as well.

Similarly, Mid Hill Highway, Madan Bhandari Highway, Hulaki Rajmarga, and North-South Corridor are also under construction.

DoR is planning to seek a budget to let these prioritized projects so that the uninterrupted continuation is ensured.