Work on Dhangadhi-Dipayal Expressway along with 6 bridges stalls

Dhangadhi: A contract agreement has been signed for the construction of six bridges on the expressway connecting Dhangadhi to Dipayal in Kailali. The contract agreement was signed on January 29 for the construction of four bridges in the Kailali section and two bridges in the Doti section of the expressway.

Chief of the expressway project Laxman Rawal said that the construction work of the bridge would start within a week. "An agreement has been reached for the construction of the bridge," he said. "We will start the construction of the bridge within a week." A three-kilometer road track has not been opened in the area. Dinesh Raikhola, information officer at the Dhangadhi-Khutiya-Dipayal project office, said that only three kilometers of the track remain to be constructed in the Kailali section.

"Only three kilometers of the Dhangadhi-Dipayal road towards Kailali remains to be opened," he said. "Other roads are being repaired, upgraded and drains are being constructed." Road maintenance work is underway in the area destroyed by the rains, said Rawal. "The road that was opened earlier is being cleaned," he said. "Three kilometers of the track remains to be opened." Work is also underway to increase the width, construct drains and blacktop. '

The contract was signed for 13.4 km in Kailali and 9.4 km in Doti in the last week of January last year. Drain construction work has not been completed under the contract. The people of Doti are disappointed as the road track is yet to be opened even after 13 years of discussion. In the year 2065 BS, some youths of Dhangadhi, with the help of various organizations, conducted a rigorous survey of connecting Khutiya to Deepayal.

As the Dhangadhi-Dadeldhura-Doti road is seen to be half as short, it has been moved forward like a fast track. As it was not possible to construct the road through the Consumers Committee, the Government of Nepal had included the project in the budget from 2066/07. The project has been included in most of the budgets so far but the work has not been able to pick up speed.

Sometimes it is just a matter of deceiving the locals by dreaming of a fast track and tunnel route.