KATHMANDU: Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Basanta Kumar Nembang and Indian Ambassador to Nepal Vinay Mohan Kwatra jointly dedicated to the people of Nepal the Terai Roads built with the Government of India grant assistance.
The Government of Nepal has identified ten priority roads to be built under Government of India funding of NR 800 crore under a Memorandum of Understanding between India and Nepal regarding strengthening of road infrastructure in Nepal’s Terai region.
Also called as Hulaki Rajmarg and connect major towns located on the East-West highway with the India-Nepal border, these 10 roads are located in seven border districts of Province 1, 2, and 5 of Nepal and provide a smooth travel experience to people of over 284 wards, 149 villages, 18 village municipalities, 18 municipalities, and 1 sub-metropolitan city, a statement issued by the Embassy said Wednesday.
The Government of India funded ten Terai roads in Nepal are built as per the specifications prescribed by the Department of Roads of Nepal, it added.
Each road has a seven-meter carriageway and two meters of shoulders on both sides, according to the statement.
The roads also include drainage, footpaths with railings in the habitation areas, road signage boards, road markings and other road furniture, the statement said.
Under the project over 652 culverts and over 111 kilometers of drainage network have also been built.
The project has been implemented under ‘Government of India funding and Government of Nepal implementation’ modality, the statement added.
The 10 roads were divided into 14 packages and the Department of Roads of Nepal awarded 14 contracts during the period October 2016 to November 2017 for their construction for contractual purposes.
According to the statement, the specifications for the construction of these roads were prescribed in the Detailed Project Report finalized by DoR of Nepal.
It also engaged the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL), a Government of India undertaking as the Project Management Consultant for the project and the consultancy fee was paid by the Government of India from the NR 800 cr grant for the project.
The Government of India-funded Terai roads project has helped strengthen road infrastructures in Terai region of Nepal and further boost the people-to-people relationships between the border areas of the two countries, the statement said.
These completed Hulaki Roads also complement the other major border infrastructure developed by India in Nepal such as Integrated Check Posts at Birgunj and Biratnagar and cross border railway lines.
The Government of India funded cross-border railway line between Jaynagar in India and Kurtha in Nepal has also been completed and is ready for handing over to the Government of Nepal for running passenger train operations by of Nepal.
In this regard, both sides are working on completing the final preparations for passenger train operations.
The Postal Highway Directorate has issued taking over certificates in respect of five of the completed packages and is completing the documentation in respect of the remaining.
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