World Bank investment to fund five-year road improvement program in four sudurpaschim Districts

Dhangadhi: Four districts in Sudurpaschim Province have been selected for a five-year road improvement program, funded through a soft loan from the World Bank and contributions from the Government of Nepal.

The initiative, under the Provincial and Local Road Improvement Program (PLRIP), aims to construct and upgrade provincial and local-level roads. The program includes periodic and regular maintenance, road upgrades, and new construction to improve connectivity across the selected districts.

This effort will be part of a larger Rs 16.64 billion investment in Karnali, Madhesh, and Sudurpaschim Provinces. A memorandum of understanding was recently signed in the presence of Urban Development Minister Prakash Man Singh and provincial physical infrastructure ministers to officially launch the program.

According to Madhav Prasad Bhattarai, Program Chief and Joint Secretary of PLRIP, the roads will be designed for year-round usability. In Sudurpaschim, Chure in Kailali, Laljhari in Kanchanpur, Saipal in Bajhang, and Sigas in Baitadi have been selected for the first phase of the project.

Sudurpaschim Province’s Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development, Surendra Bahadur Pal, highlighted the significance of World Bank support in enhancing the province's road network. He noted that successful implementation of the first phase could pave the way for a second phase of the program.

The target completion for the first phase is set for the fiscal year 2084/85. The program's success will rely on effective collaboration between federal, provincial, and local governments, as the central government provides resources while the provincial and local levels play a crucial role in execution.