Roads constructed under Postal Highway in support of Indian government have been handed over to the public today.
Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Basant Kumar Nembang and Indian Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra jointly handed over the constructed roads built with grant assistance of Indian government.
Under a Memorandum of Understanding between India and Nepal regarding strengthening of road infrastructure in Terai region of Nepal, Government of Nepal identified ten priority roads to be built under Government of India funding of NR 800 cr. These Terai roads are also called as Hulaki Raj Marg and connect major towns located on the East-West highway with India-Nepal border. These ten roads are located in seven border districts of Province 1, 2 and 5 of Nepal and provide smooth travel experience to people of over 284 wards, 149 villages, 18 gaunpalikas, 18 Nagar Palikas and 1 sub-metropolitan city.
The Government of India funded ten Terai roads in Nepal are built as per the specifications prescribed by the Department of Roads of Nepal. Each road has a seven meter carriage way and two meters of shoulders on both sides. The roads also include drainage, foot paths with railings in habitation areas, road signage boards, road markings and other road furniture. Under the project over 652 culverts and over 111 kilometers of drainage network have also been built.
The project has been implemented under ‘Government of India funding and Government of Nepal implementation’ modality. For contractual purposes the ten roads were divided into 14 packages and the Department of Roads of Nepal awarded 14 contracts during the period October 2016 to November 2017 for their construction. The specifications for construction of these roads were prescribed in the Detailed Project Report finalized by DoR of Nepal. It also engaged the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL), a Government of India undertaking as the Project Management Consultant for the project and the consultancy fee was paid by Government of India from the NR 800 cr grant for the project.
The Government of India funded Terai roads project has helped strengthen road infrastructures in Terai region of Nepal and further boost people to people relationship between the border areas of the two countries. These completed Hulaki Roads also complement the other major border infrastructure developed by India in Nepal such as Integrated Check Posts at Birgunj and Biratnagar and cross border railway lines. The Government of India funded cross-border railway line between Jaynagar in India and Kurtha in Nepal has also been completed and is ready for handing over to Government of Nepal for running passenger train operations by of Nepal. In this regard, both sides are working on completing the final preparations for passenger train operations.
Wednesday, Ambassador of India and Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport dedicated 13 of the 14 packages which have been completed and are already being used by the people of the areas since over a year. These newly completed roads have been providing smooth travel experience to people of the Terai region. The Postal Highway Directorate has issued taking over certificates in respect of five of the completed packages and is completing the documentation in respect of the remaining.
Manmat-Kalaiya-Matiyarwa (Bara), Birendrabazar-Yadukuha-Mahinthpur (Dhanusha), Janakpur-Yadukuha (Dhanusha), Maisthan-Gaushalabazar-Samsi ( Mahottari), Jaleshwor-Hardi (Mahottari), Lamahi-Koilabas (Dang) and Kanepokhari-Rangeli (Morang) Has been handed over. Similalry, Kalyanpur-Barsain-Subhranpatti (Saptari), Tamagadhi-Simraungadh (Bara) and Birgunj–Thori (Parsa) roads have been handed.
