KATHMANDU: Keeping in view the threat posed by the hazards like those caused by COVID-19 and its variants, Nepal Army has intensified the construction of ‘Holding Centers’ at eight different locations across the country.

According to the sources, the progress of the construction activities carried out under the overall management of Nepal Army has been above 60 percent so far.

In the first quarterly review of the current fiscal year 2021/22 of the Ministry, Chief of Army Staff Prabhuram Sharma informed that the construction work of 7 ‘Holding Centers’ under construction has reached more than 60 percent.

“Ensuring that the buildings constructing are durable enough to be used for years, the construction of one storied building has been carried out rapidly,” the Army Chief briefed, adding, “NA has been working considering both the present requirement and the long-term needs of such structures.”

He informed that only 50 percent of the allocated amount has been made available so far.”

The government had decided to increase the holding centers of at least 1,000 capacity at Gadda Chowki of Kanchanpur, Gauriphanta of Kailali, Kakadbhitta of Jhapa, Rani of Morang, Krishnanagar of Kapilvastu, Birgunj of Parsa, Banke of Nepalgunj and Belahiya of Rupandehi.

The construction of has been sans progress in Belahiya of Rupandehi as the government has not made the land available there. This is a Rs 2 billion project.

According to sources, the land acquisition in Rupandehi has been affected due to lack of necessary support from the local level and lack of coordination and agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Home Affairs. Although only 50 percent of the fund has been made available for the project so far, the one-storied buildings are being constructed one after the other, so that it can accommodate 200 people in case of emergency.