Seti highway construction delayed: 15 years on, track work still incomplete

Dhangadhi: The Seti Highway, spanning 359 kilometers from Tikapur in Kailali to Urai Bhanjyang in Bajhang, remains far from completion, with only 187 kilometers of track constructed so far. The remaining 172 kilometers are yet to be completed, despite an initial target of finishing the track within 10 years—a deadline that has now stretched to 15 years.

The federal government has been allocating a budget for the highway since the fiscal year 2066/067 BS, but progress has been sluggish. The project, envisioned to connect Kailali, Doti, Achham, Bajura, and Bajhang to the national road network, has struggled due to budget constraints and delays.

There are planning offices for the highway in Sanfebagar, Achham (southern section), and Chainpur, Bajhang (northern section). According to Birendra Chand, head of the Seti Highway Planning Office, Sanfe, the remaining track work includes three kilometers in Kailali, 40 kilometers in Doti, and seven kilometers in Achham, while Bajura’s section is complete. The northern section, stretching 117 kilometers from Chainpur to Urai Bhanjyang (on the border with Tibet, China), has seen only 40 kilometers of track work completed since construction began in 2074 BS, leaving 77 kilometers unfinished.

Currently, 10 construction companies are engaged in the southern section and two in the northern section, but budget shortages remain a major hurdle. The southern section requires a total of Rs 2.128 billion to complete track opening, but only Rs 553.8 million has been allocated so far, leaving a shortfall of Rs 1.5 billion. Additionally, Rs 7 billion is needed for gravel work and Rs 11 billion for blacktopping. However, with an annual budget allocation averaging only Rs 20 to 30 million, the completion of the Seti Highway seems unlikely for another decade.

The construction of the northern section from Chainpur to Taklakot in Bajhang is now targeted for completion in the fiscal year 2084/085.