Construction of Seti Highway Priority Project stalls

KATHMANDU: Though the Seti Highway is the priority project of the government, its construction is at snail’s pace.

The construction of the roadway, which is connected with the prosperity of Far West, was started from the fiscal year 2065-66 BS.

The construction of the National Pride Project, which is expected to give a boost to the development of the Sudur Paschim Province, connecting the province’s north and south border is going on at a slow pace. This road connects to Taklakot in Tibet via Baunia, Tikapur, Kailali which borders with India and through Chainpur in Doti, Achham, Bajura and Bajhang.

The construction of this multi-purpose highway connecting India-Nepal-China has been divided into two parts, namely the southern section and the northern section.

There are 204 kms road sections including 80 kms towards Achham, 12 kms to Bajura, 40 kms to Doti and 72 kms to Kailali under the south section of the Highway. Out of the 204 kms, 127 kms track including 57 kms in Achham and 70 kms in Kailali has been opened so far, according to the project.

A total of 23 kms track of Achham Section and two kms of Kailali, 40 kms of Doti and 12 kms of Bajura are yet to be opened. The construction work was halted when the road division failed to ensure the budget for the same and as the order for tree felling was not received to open the 40 kms track of Doti section on the southern side.

Birendra Bahadur Chand, head of the Seti Highway (South Section), the Tikapur-Lode-Chainpur Road Planning Office, Sanphebagar, informed that after the tree felling order came from the Council of Ministers recently and the construction works will be carried forward in the current fiscal year.

Among the few proposed motor-able bridges on this route, one bridge towards Kailali has been completed and two bridges are under construction. Similarly, the construction of one bridge towards Achham has been completed and one more bridge is in the bidding process.

There are 128 kilometers of roads in Bajhang district under the northern section. In the Kailali section, the contract for 14 kms road black topping has been done, while in the Achham section, three kms blacktopping has been done. The total length of this highway is 359 km.