Budget crunch leaves fate of Jumla-Jajarkot roads in limbo

Jajarkot, February 10

Construction of three crucial roads connecting Jajarkot with Jumla started some 12 years ago. However, completion of these roads is nowhere in sight as the pace of work has been very sluggish.

Budget crunch due to government negligence has left construction of roads in uncertainty. Jajarkot Khalanga-Panchkatiya-Paik- Byaulidhunga-Jumla is 80 kilometers long. But, only 40 kilometre track has been opened till date. More than Rs 600 million has already been spent on the road.

Similarly, only 35-kilometre track has been opened of the 90-km Jajarkot-Chheda-Chande-Jumla  road. A total of Rs 300 million has been spent on this road.

Jajarkot-Barekot- Chakhure-Jumla road is 140-km. However, only 30-km track has been opened so far. Twenty million rupees has been invested on the construction of this road till date.

Completion of these three roads will not only strengthen trade relationship between Jajarkot and Jumla, but it will also open a shorter route than Karnali Highway in terms of distance to Nepalgunj.

Road Divisions Chaurjahari Engineer Kushal Bhusal said construction of roads was pushed into limbo after they came under the jurisdiction of the provincial government. He said a decision was taken to carry on with the road construction started by the federal government.

Karnali Province government, however, has not allocated budget for roads.

Kushe Rural Municipality Chair Hari Chandra Basnet said the incomplete roads had dashed peoples’ dream of riding vehicles for years. “The local level does not have adequate budget to construct inter-district road and province and federal governments have ignored the construction of roads,” he added.