Biratnagar, May 7

The government had initiated construction of Biratnagar Ring Road in 1997. Two decades on, the project has not been completed yet.

The 42-km road was supposed to be completed within six years of beginning construction, but even the 1.5 km-long track road of the road project has not been opened for vehicular movement.

The government had developed the plan to construct the ring road to

adjust to Biratnagar’s rapidly growing number of vehicles. Despite pressure from local residents, entrepreneurs, and civil society members, the project has remained in limbo.

Chief of Urban Development and Building Construction Division Office, Morang Shyam Kishor Singh said that the project failed due to a budget crunch. Of the total length, 34 km has been graveled. However, it is hard to ply vehicles along the graveled road in the western part of Biratnagar’s Rani area as the authority is yet to demolish the walls of three houses, a match factory, and the eastern regional Police Office.

“The government grants an insufficient amount of budget for the road project. It allotted only Rs 65 million in the current fiscal. We are planning to black-top some portion and upgrade the road in other places. The budget last year was Rs 59.5 million, while it will be around Rs 70 million next year, which is too little,” said Singh. According to him, the track road had not been opened at Jhorahat road area due to a dispute while distributing compensation to locals.