Paving Begins on Key Road Linking Khotang's Southern Region

Khotang. Paving work has commenced on the road connecting Khandidanda-Yamkha-Ratmatha, passing through the Diprung Chhuichhuma Rural Municipality office, to Panchami Bazaar. The blacktopping work is being carried out under a multi-year plan allocated a budget of NPR 300 million by the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development, Koshi Province Government.

It has been reported that USG-Raktakanya-Himshringkhala JV Kathmandu, which won the contract called through the Physical Infrastructure Development Office, has started the paving work with an agreement budget of NPR 173,082,000. Binam Dahal, Chief of the Infrastructure Development Office, informed that the target is to complete the road paving within exactly two years from Thursday, as per the agreement.

According to the agreement with the contractor company, 8.2 kilometers of the road from Aahale to Yamkha will be paved. This road will establish direct contact with the southern region of Khotang District via Khandidanda and is expected to facilitate movement for local residents.

The former Minister of Physical Infrastructure Development and Health of the Koshi Provincial Government, Bhupendra Rai, inaugurated the road on Thursday. He stated that delays and procrastination in development works in Khotang would not be tolerated.

Directing the Infrastructure Development Office and the construction entrepreneurs to complete the work on time, Minister Rai also urged citizens to monitor the project implementation. According to Minister Rai, this road is the second paved road project to commence entering the inner region of Khotang District.

Previously, paving work had already begun on the Rasuwa-Panchdhare road, and the bidding process for another road connecting Khandidanda to Thamekhark Airport is also underway. According to Govinda Lamichhane, the site in-charge for the contractor company, the main tasks of this project include road cutting, drain construction, retaining walls, netting, pipes and culverts, road concreting, and asphalt paving.

Lamichhane stated that the plan is to start asphalting before the month of Asar, provided there are no natural disasters. Local residents expect this time that the project will be completed on schedule, as infrastructure development in Khotang has been facing delays.

Once the road paving is completed, it is expected to ease transportation and save time and costs. It is believed that the completion of the Diktel-Khandidanda-Yamkha-Panchami road paving will have a positive impact on the overall economic development of the district.