KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 4

The Nepali Army has accelerated the construction of holding centres in eight places across the country to minimise the risk of COVID-19.

Chief of Army Staff Prabhu Ram Sharma, in the first quarterly review meeting of fiscal year 2021-22 in the Ministry of Defence, shared that construction process of seven holding centres has witnessed over 60 per cent physical progress till date.

He said, 'Process is under way to construct a one-storey building which could be used for other purposes in future too. Only 50 per cent of the total allocated budget has been released for the same.'

Holding centres are being built at Gaddachauki along the Nepal-India border point in Kanchanpur district, Gauriphanta in Kailali, Kakadbhitta in Jhapa district, Rani in Morang district, Krishnanagar in Kapilvastu, Birgunj in Parsa district, Banke in Nepalgunj and Belhiya in Rupandehi.

Each holding centre will have 1,000 beds to temporarily house COVID suspects and infected people.

Due to lack of land in Rupandehi, holding centre related works could not be taken forward, according to the Ministry of Defence.

A version of this article appears in the print on December 5, 2021 of The Himalayan Times.