KATHMANDU: Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Raghubir Mahaseth said the government's new policies and programmes has given priority to the road mapping, tunnel way and highway bridge constructions.

Speaking at programme in Kathmandu on Tuesday, Minister Mahaseth said the government, through its policies and programmes, unveiled its targets of completing all the works relating to the construction of Kathmandu-Nijgadh Fast Track, Mid-Hills Highway and Postal Highway within the next five years.

According to him, construction of the Madan Bhandari Highway from Shantinagar of Jhapa in east to Rupal of Dadeldhura in west to develop valleys of Chure and inner Madhes into economic and industrial corridors will be accelerated.

He pledged to connect the local-level centers with blacktopped roads, construct motorable roads alongside the rivers, start construction of Kathmandu-Birgunj-Rasuwagadhi-Kathmandu-Pokhara-Lumbini railway, come up with legal, policy level and institutional provisions for operation of water transport on Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali rivers within the next five years.

In a response to journalists, he made it clear that Director General of Transport Management Department, Rup Narayan Bhattarai, was summoned to the Ministry for the time being, but not transferred. He took the time to claim that activities related to transport sector would be systematised.

Also speaking on the occasion, Nepali Congress leader Ram Sharan Mahat accused the government of bringing propagandist policies and programmes and giving false assurances to the people. He ruled out the possibility of their implementation.