Construction Accelerates on Key Road Linking Khotang to Eastern Terai Region

Khotang. The construction of the shortest route road connecting Diktel, the main commercial hub of Khotang, with the districts of the Eastern Terai region has gained momentum. Enthusiasm has spread among the district residents following the start of blasting work on a massive rock formation at Ghartibhir, located on the border of Khalle and Rajapani, under the Diktel-Regmitar road section.

Out of the 2 crore budget allocated by the Koshi Province Government for the current fiscal year, the construction company has signed a contract for approximately 1 crore 7 lakh rupees and is moving forward with the work. Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi Municipality has placed this road as its top priority.

The currently operational Diktel-Mahure-Regmitar road is 59 kilometers long. However, Mayor Tirtharaj Bhattarai of the municipality stated that once the under-construction Diktel-Khanidanda-Ahale-Regmitar road becomes operational, the distance will be reduced by seventeen and a half kilometers. Although roads have been opened on both sides of the cliff with an investment of over 1.5 crore from the municipality, traffic has been obstructed due to the hard rock formation in the middle.

Work is also progressing rapidly on the construction of a motorable bridge over the Dikhwakhola stream under this same road section. A steel truss bridge is being built at a cost of 2 crore 70 lakh rupees. Due to the absence of the bridge, this road used to be completely closed for about six months during the monsoon season.

It is expected that once the bridge and the rock blasting work are completed, transportation will run year-round, making it easier to transport food grains, fuel, and construction materials from the Terai region.