NEPALGUNJ, AUGUST 27
Barely 12 per cent construction work of the integrated check post at the Nepal-India border in Nepalgunj has been completed in the past one year.
The check post in Jayaspur is being built with around 1.5 billion Indian rupees and is billed to be the largest of its type in Nepal. Regarding the delay, the construction company has attributed it to the COVID pandemic.
"As per the agreement, the project had to completed within two years, but so far only just over 10 per cent work has finished," said Urban and Building Division Office, Nepalgunj, engineer Homnath Bhusal, adding that the Government of Nepal had waived off customs duty on materials and vehicles meant for construction of the check post. Besides the billion-plus rupees' budget, Nepal and India each have allocated 88 bigha land for the ICP construction.
So far, while the foundation for the ICP building has been dug, construction of an access road is being undertaken.
Construction of a sixlane access road to the check post is in its final stage. The access road will be 64 metres wide and 2,200 metre long.
As per the agreement, India will hand over the project to Nepal after completing it in two years. As per the plan, the railway line will be extended to the check post once it comes into operation.
A version of this article appears in the print on August 28 2021, of The Himalayan Times.
