Kathmandu, November 17

Dunai, the headquarters of Dolpa, a trans-himalayan district, has been connected to the national road network, thanks to the tireless efforts of the Nepali Army.

The Nepali Army has opened the passage for the 103-kilometre road from Pasagadh in Jajarkot to Supani of Tripurasundari in Dolpa connecting Dolpa district to the national road network.

With this, the headquarters of all 76 districts, except Humla, have been connected to the national road network. The passage for the 14-kilometre Supani-Dunai road section of the 103-kilometre road had been opened with the fund collected the local bodies and MP’s constituency development fund.

The North-South highway will help to connect Marimla of Tibet Autonomous Region of People’s Republic of China with Rupaidiha of India. It is believed that expansion of the road connectivity to Dolpa, the largest district of the country in Karnali Province, will prove to be a milestone for the development of the province.

Construction of this road will also contribute greatly to promoting and expanding tourism in Dolpa district, including Shey-Phoksundolake and national park.

The NA stated that the highway linking Jajarkot, Rukum and Dolpa had been constructed as per the ‘feeder road’ concept. Operation of the road will provide market access to various products grown in Dolpa district, including valuable herbal medicines. The produce exported from the district will also get decent price.

Although the Nepal Army is supposed to hand over the road to the government after opening its passage, locals have been demanding that the responsibility of constructing the road and  blacktopping it should be given to the Nepali Army itself.

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Ishwor Pokhrelis scheduled to inaugurate the road at Tripurasundari of Dolpa on November 20, chief of the road construction project task force, Lieutenant Colonel Bishwa Bandhu Pahadi, said.

The road along the banks of the Bheri River passes through Rimna, Manamaitahara, Tallo Bazaar, Gotamkot, Ghadthala, Tribeni, Khadang, Sribinde Basti and Bazar negotiating steep cliff and rocks.

The Nepali Army has already constructed 1,114 kilometres road before this. The Nepali Army had started constructing roads in the country with the construction of Kanti Highway in 2016 BS that connects Kathmandu with Hetauda. It has so far constructed 20 different roads of strategic importance.

The roads constructed by the Nepali Army include the 28-kilometre long Hile-Leguwaghat road, 88-kilometre Katari Okhaldhunga road, 65-kilometre Kanti Highway, 105-kilometre Trishuli-Somdang road and 36-kilomtre Gorkha-Manakamana road.

The other roads constructed by the Army are the 45-kilometre long Gorkha-Arughat-Arkhet road, 26.50 kilometre Drabya Shah Marga, 20-kilometre Satdobato-Nimel-Baluwa road, 65-kilometre Besisahar-Chame road, 75-kilometre Baglung-Beni-Jomsom road, nine-kilometre Jomsom-Kagbeni road, 44-kilometre Salyan-Musikot road, 35-kilometre Musikot-Burtibang road, 42-kilometre Devisthan-Kaindanda-Chaurjahari road.

Similarly, the NA had opened the passage for the 45-kilometre Chhinchu-Jajarkot road, 88-kilometre Karnali Highway, 94-kilometre Nagma-Gamgadhi road, 18-kilometre Mailung-Sryafrubesi road and 90-kilomtre Kathmandu-Tarai fast track.

Among other big road projects being constructed in the country by the NA at present include the 120-kilometre long Benighat-Arughat-Larke Bhanjyang road, 76-kilometre Kaligandaki Corridor and 145-kilometre Karnali Corridor.