KATHMANDU: The government itself will take up the project to construct the Kathmandu-Tarai fast-track road, the Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Ramesh Lekhak, told the joint meeting of Parliament's Finance and Development Committees on Sunday.

According to him, the government would find domestic resources for the fast-track as a national pride project.

Minister Lekhak informed that the ministry has already tabled a proposal at the Cabinet for the cancellation of an earlier deal with an Indian firm and initiating the 76 km fast-track construction using domestic resources.

As a Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport under the Sushil Koirala-led government, Bimalendra Nidhi, now Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister under the Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led government, had signed an initial deal of constructing the project with Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Ltd (IL&FS), an Indian firm.

Later, the Supreme Court had ordered not to award the project to the Indian company.

The KP Sharma Oli-government had allocated budget for the fast-track project.

Before stepping down as the Prime Minister, Oli in July had asked the new alliance between the CPN Maoist Centre and Nepali Congress and the would-be Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal what they would do with the development projects including the Kathmandu-Nijgadh fast-track.

In response, Dahal later said he would continue the projects that the Oli-led government announced.

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*Updated