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Development Committee directs Ministry to speed up highway expansion



Kathmandu, Dec 31: The Development Committee under the Legislature-Parliament has directed the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport to expand the Tripureshwar-Kalanki-Nagdhunga section of the Tribhuvan Highway by addressing the problems of the locals as providing compensation and others.

After hearing the problems from the people affected by the road expansion project in today’s meeting of the committee, Committee president Rabindra Adhikari instructed the Ministry to start the road expansion works addressing the locals’ concerns within a month.

“The road expansion works should be speeded up by resolving the problems faced in this connection on the Tripureshwar-Kalanki-Nagdhunga and the Balkhu-Dakshinkali road sections within a month. Both these roads are vital for lessening the traffic in the Kathmandu Valley. The tendency to usurp land should be stopped by keeping clear record of the land that needs to be acquired for the road expansion project. We also request the locals to help create an environment conducive to taking ahead the project works,” Adhikari said reading out the committee decision.

Lawmaker Rajendra Kumar KC said the road should be expanded 11 metres on both sides from the mid-line of the road and the remaining land should be allowed to be used by the people possessing the land-ownership documents.

Similarly, lawmakers Rupa Maharjan, Binod Shrestha, Dhyan Govinda Ranjit, GaNanesh Pahari, Ram Ayodhya Prasad Yadav, Hari Charan Shaha, Ganesh Singh Thagunna, Karna Bahadur BK and Janaki Kumar Saud undferlined the need of speeding up the road expansion projects by addressing the locals’ problems in an amicable manner. They demanded action against the contractors delaying the works.

Secretary at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport Arjun Kumar Karki said problem is created when the Municipality Office also is found approving the designs and maps for the construction of infrastructures also on land that fall within the road construction standard.

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