BAJURA: Blacktopping of Martadi-Kolti road section in the far-western region is expected to complete within the next three years. A total budget of Rs 1.577 billion has been allocated for blacktopping the road section.

The amount has jointly been allocated by the provincial and federal governments to blacktop the 41-kilometre road section from Martadi to Kolti, said provincial lawmaker of Sudurpaschim Province, Baldev Regmi.

Work has already begun in 15 kilometres of the road section, which fall under the multi-year programme of the provincial government. The province government had allocated Rs 580 million for the blacktopping of this 15-km stretch.

An amount of Rs 987.5 million was allocated for the road this fiscal year jointly by the federal and provincial government. Out of this sum, 50 percent will come from the federal government and the other 50 from the provincial government, informed Regmi.

Work is going on to widen the 15-km section of the road, said Junga Bahadur Thapa, chief of Infrastructure Development Office, Achham. He further added that blacktopping of the total 41-km stretch would be completed within three years' time.

Locals have been facing multiple challenges with the road upgradation work being stalled, more so during the monsoon season when the road-section would be dysfunctional. Completion of the blacktopping would highly benefit the locals, especially those from northern Bajura, Humla and Mugu, shared civil leader Pradeep Raj Jaisi.