Khandbari, April 3:

People of remote Shankhawasabha want the construction of the Chainpur-Bahrabishe road resume soon.

The construction of this road, which would cost “only around Rs 25 million”, has been halted since 2006 because the Department of International Development (DFID), a British agency, stopped funding citing budget constraints.

“The road becomes motorable only if Rs 25 million is spent, but the government and donors have not listened to our request to resume the project,” said Damador Khadka, district secretary of CPN-UML in Khandbari, the district headquarters.

When the World Bank initiated this road project a few years ago, the Khandbari dwellers happily provided their land for the project without seeking any compensation.

“Now the people are very unhappy that they donated land and the road has not been built. It will be an “issue of prestige of the DFID” if it does not resume the road construction, said Khadka.

The World Bank had spent about Rs 15 million to complete 40 per cent of the 36 km road.

Shankhuwasabha could be a bigger transit route if the road network is built to link Khandbari with Kimathanka, bordering Tibet.

“Khandbari could be a remote transit route for Biratnagar,” said Shyam Sundar Udas, chairperson of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce, Shankhawasabha.

District- based leaders and businessmen handed over a request letter to British Minister Thomas yesterday requesting him to consider funding several projects in the district.

After listening to the people’s grievances, Thomas said, “We will be able to start some road projects and I will take this message to those who develop the (British) country strategy paper.”