KATHMANDU, AUGUST 9

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense, Purna Bahadur Khadka, has spoken of the need of support and cooperation from all quarters to complete the Kathmandu-Tarai/Madhesh Fast Track Project within the stipulated timeline.

In his address to the fourth quarterly and annual progress review of the Ministry and its subordinate bodies for the fiscal year 2079-80 BS (2022-23) BS here Wednesday, he said the incumbent government accorded top priority to the Project.

Bearing in mind the gravity of the Project, a single sitting of the Council of Ministers agreed to resolve numerous obstructions regarding it, according to him.

He was of the opinion that the review be focused on assessing legal obstacles regarding the projects and ways for clearing up such hurdles.

In the meeting, it was shared that the Fast Track Project has so far achieved 25 percent progress in terms of physical development followed by 28.11 percent of financial progress.

The Project is expected to complete by March-April, 2027. It is being implemented under the supervision of the Nepali Army by dividing it into 13 packages. Its initial estimated cost along with VAT is Rs 175.12 billion.

For three packages, evaluation of the tender bids is underway while two are undergoing the process for the revision of Detailed Project Report.

The package relating to the Khokana is remained hampered due to the land acquisition issue. In the current fiscal, the government has allocated Rs 22.50 billion for the project. So far, it costs 49.23 billion.

The Ministry's overall accomplishment of targets towards the finance was 97.59 percent and 97.91 of physical progress last fiscal year.

On the occasion, Chief of Army Staff, Prabhuram Sharma, was of the view of clearing legal and other obstacles regarding the express way gradually. As he said, the NA is in the position of completing the project.