Khotang, March 11

People residing along the Diktel-Chakhewabhanjyang road section of Mid-Hill Highway in Khotang have protested the government’s plan to upgrade the road without providing them compensation.

Locals of Diktel, Nerpa, Chyandanda and Nirmaldanda have formed a pressure committee under the coordination of Ramkaji Rai, citing the authorities’ preparations to widen 27km stretch of the 47km Diktel-Chakhewabhanjyang road section without compensating the concerned families.

“The locals along Diktel-Halesi road section were duly paid compensation before the road stretch was widened and black-topped. The authorities, however, have failed to provide the compensation to the remaining families along the 27 km road stretch.

Moreover, they are planning to go ahead with the widening drive and this is very unfortunate,” said local Chattra Bahadur Rai.

“Of course we welcome the development projects in our area, but the government has no right to displace us in the name of development,” Rai argued.

The road upgradation is under way with the financial support from the Asian Development Bank.