HETAUDA, NOVEMBER 13

Bagmati Province government has halted the tunnel construction and operation of electric vehicle projects.

Two projects incorporated as projects of pride by former chief minister Dormani Poudel have been halted.

Bagmati Chief Minister Rajendra Pandey issued a directive to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure saying that the federal government had shown apathy to the tunnel construction by not allocating budget.

The province government decided to stop tunnel construction as it could not build the tunnel itself and the federal government had not sanctioned budget for the same, said Province Minister of Internal Affairs Krishna Sharma Khanal.

Ever since the formation of the provincial government, tunnel construction has figured in the government's policy and programme and budget. The provincial government has established the office of Posta Bahadur Bogati Bhimfedi- Kulekhani Tunnel Route Project under the ministry of physical infrastructure.

The office has already prepared a Detailed Project Report. 'The office is yet to begin the tender process,' said Secretary Ashok Shah of the ministry. The estimated cost for the tunnel is 19,320,000,000, as per the DPR. The DPR envisions construction of two one-way tunnels in 42 months.

CM Rajendra Pandey also suspended all processes related to purchase of electric vehicles citing lack of preparation. 'We shall purchase electric vehicles after formulating necessary laws,' said Minister Khanal.

The provincial government has adopted the policy of displacing petroleum-powered vehicles with electric ones by 2028.

Half a billion rupees has been appropriated for the purchase of the electric vehicles this fiscal year in the province. The purchase of 30 electric vehicles was halted after no tender was submitted as per the rate fixed by the government.

A version of this article appears in the print on November 14, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.