Sudurpaschim Allocates Over Rs 90 Million for Badimalika Cable Car Study and Khaptad Infrastructure

Bajura: The Sudurpaschim Provincial Government has allocated Rs 32.5 million to conduct a feasibility study for operating a cable car at Badimalika, a religious and tourist destination in Bajura.

The allocation is included in the provincial government’s budget for the current fiscal year 2083/84, presented to the Provincial Assembly, with the aim of promoting tourism in the Badimalika area through a cable car feasibility study. The government has also announced plans to initiate the process of operating the cable car under a public-private partnership (PPP) using the Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) model this fiscal year, following a management feasibility study.

Presenting the budget, Sudurpaschim Minister for Economic Affairs Chakra Bahadur Malla said the funds had been allocated for the cable car feasibility study. He also announced that electricity lines would be extended to the area.

NPR 61 Million Allocated for Khaptad Infrastructure Development
The provincial government has allocated Rs 61 million to develop necessary infrastructure, including a temple, at Khaptad National Park, a site of religious and tourism significance.

The budget will fund the construction of a pagoda-style temple reflecting Sudurpaschim’s identity and a ‘Golden Bridge’ at Triveni Dham in Khaptad, located at the junction of Bajura, Bajhang, Achham, and Doti districts. It will also support the extension of electricity lines to the area.

The lack of electricity in Khaptad has so far caused significant difficulties for security personnel, local residents, and tourists.

Kolti Basic Hospital to Be Upgraded to Provincial Hospital
Kolti Basic Hospital, located in Budhinanda Municipality-2 in northeastern Bajura, is set to be upgraded to a provincial hospital. Minister for Economic Affairs Chakra Bahadur Malla announced the plan while presenting the current fiscal year’s budget at a Provincial Assembly meeting.

To expand citizens’ access to specialized healthcare services, the provincial government is making arrangements for the necessary infrastructure and human resources to upgrade Kolti Hospital in Bajura and Gokuleshwor Hospital in Darchula into provincial hospitals. Minister Malla said Rs 60 million had been allocated for this purpose.

Kolti Basic Hospital serves as an important healthcare center for residents of four local levels in the eastern and northern parts of Bajura. In addition to residents from these areas, patients from neighboring districts, including Mugu, Humla, and Kalikot, also visit Kolti for treatment.

Once the hospital’s planned upgrade is implemented, its service capacity is expected to expand, providing residents with access to additional specialized healthcare services within their own region