Over the past several years, Nepali policy-makers and development partners have highlighted the need for an alternative and reliable fast-track road system to link Kathmandu with the southern plains. But the high-budget road construction projects have not materialised and the capital city is still reliant on the geologically vulnerable and narrow roads. Currently, there are two Highways connecting the capital with the terai — Tribhuvan Rajpath and Prithvi Highway. However, the existing structure of these highways is in no position to meet the growing pressure of passenger vehicles and freight movements. Hence, from the socio-economic and security points of view, fast-track roads would inevitably lower economic costs, boost swift trade transactions and above all, save valuable time.

In this context, it is good news that the Russian and UNESCAP officials have shown ‘interest’ in resuming the feasibility study and investing in Kathmandu-Hetauda Fast Track Road (KHFTR), which has been in the pipeline for just too long. The plan has to be, however, pursued with renewed commitment this time around and the involvement of both the public and private sector, as sought by the experts, is crucial to making it sustainable. For this, the proposed feasibility study and the promised international support are vital and the authorities concerned should not let the opportunity slip out of hand. Numerous past KHFTR pre-feasibility studies done by Switzerland, Italy, Japan and Finland ended up remaining only on papers. Meanwhile, the significance of the fast-track roads for Nepal should be visualised and analysed in depth especially in the context of the idea of Nepal being developed as a transit point to facilitate burgeoning volume of trade between India and China.