287.5 km of Mahakali corridor road track opened in 18 years

Darchula: A total of 287.5 kilometers of the Mahakali Corridor, connecting Brahmadev in Kanchanpur to Tinkar in Darchula, has been opened so far.

According to Ishwor Karki, head of the Mahakali Corridor (Brahmdev-Jhulaghat-Darchula-Tinkar) Road Project, the road project, which has been in operation since the fiscal year 2065/66, has completed road track opening over the past 18 years.

He stated that out of the total 334 kilometers of road track from Brahmadev in Kanchanpur through Jogbudha in Dadeldhura, Pancheshwor, Chameliya in Baitadi, Lali in Darchula, Uku, Khalanga, Dhari, Hikila, Huti, Dhaulakot and Sunsera Tusarpani, 287.5 kilometers have been opened.

According to him, 47 kilometers of road track remain to be opened under the corridor. He said the project has been taken forward with the objective of contributing to the economic, social, cultural, tourism, and educational development of the region.

Project Chief Karki stated that the total length of the corridor is 413 kilometers, spanning Kanchanpur, Dadeldhura, Baitadi, and Darchula districts in Sudurpaschim Province. Out of this, the Nepali Army is constructing a 79-kilometer section from Tusarpani in Darchula to Tinkar checkpoint.

The Nepali Army has opened 19.8 kilometers of road track up to fiscal year 2081/82 and has reached vehicle operation up to 12 kilometers (up to Dumlingaun). The army has been engaged in road construction since fiscal year 2077/78.

The government has allocated Rs 229.7 million for the road project in fiscal year 2082/83, of which Rs 150 million has been transferred to the budget and Rs 40 million has already been spent, Karki said.

He further informed that so far, 11 kilometers of road have been opened in Kanchanpur, 34.4 kilometers in Dadeldhura, 138.9 kilometers in Baitadi, and 103.2 kilometers in Darchula under the project.

He added that 1.6 kilometers of road in Dadeldhura have been blacktopped in the current fiscal year. Similarly, seven kilometers of new road track have been opened in Dadeldhura and Baitadi this year, while 12 kilometers of road in Darchula have been graveled in preparation for blacktopping.

Karki also informed that Rs 400 million will be allocated in the upcoming fiscal year 2083/84 for completing the remaining road construction works.

Under the project, work is underway to blacktop 12.3 kilometers from the Saleti to Bet section and 18.5 kilometers from Khalanga to Sunsera section in Malikarjun Rural Municipality of Darchula. Meanwhile, a funding source of Rs 520 million has been secured for road blacktopping under the Mahakali Corridor (Brahmadev-Jhulaghat-Darchula-Tinkar) project.

The Ministry of Finance, through a ministerial decision on April 29, has approved construction work worth Rs 519.9 million, Karki said. He added that 6.2 kilometers of road will be blacktopped through a multi-year contract process.