Dhangadhi, August 30

Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transportation Management Bir Bahadur Balayar today claimed that construction of the proposed Bajhang-Taklakot road section, which directly connects Nepal with Tibet, will be completed within three years.

Speaking at a press meet organised by Press Union Kailali today, Minister Balayar stated that the tender process was under way to choose the contractor for the project.

“This road section is the shortest route that will connect Nepal with Tibet and tender process to pick the contractor is under way,” said Balayar. He said that it is 350 kilometres from Dhangadi to Taklakot of Tibet. “A three kilometre tunnel will be constructed at Taklakot to avert obstruction of vehicular movement due to snowfall,” Balayar said.

The project office has been set up in Chainpur of Bajhang.

With the road construction, a transit point will be built to link China with Nepal in province 7, which will be crucial for prosperity of not only the province but also the entire state. He also said that Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba was scheduled to lay the foundation stone of a four-Lane bridge over the Mahakali River in Kanchanpur tomorrow. “This bridge also will be a transit point connecting Nepal with India and it will further strengthen economic activities of the country,” he said.

Minister Balayar added that PM Deuba had signed an agreement with the southern neighbour to upgrade Gauriphanta Customs point during his recent state visit. “The future of province 7 is very bright if we take into consideration the several development activities in the pipeline,” Balayar argued.

Meanwhile, Balayar held that the government was preparing to upgrade Dhangadi Airport as an international airport. Hence, the government was expediting appropriationof land for the project. “We must materialise the Dhangadhi-Dipayal fast track, Sahajpur-Bogatan road, Budar-Jorayal road and the Seti Highway among other projects,” said Balayar.