By Kailash Lama
Charikot, Apr. 6: A road section from Baghkhor of Sailung Rural Municipality to Sitali of Melung Rural Municipality in Dolakha district has been chosen among the 165 strategic roads inaugurated by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Saturday.
The road reaches Sitali from Baghkhor via Bhainse in Dolakha, which hosts only one constituency in the federal election.
The locals have been elated after the road section, which has a majority of rural settlements, got selected for the government's strategic road network.
As Rs. 600 million will be provided to the districts falling in Himalayan regions having only one constituency, Dolakha will be receiving the same amount for blacktopping and upgrading works of the Baghkhor-Bhainse-Sitali road.
Bharat KC, a local of Melung Rural Municipality-4, said that he was very happy to hear that the Baghkhor-Bhainse-Sitali road section was selected in the government's strategic project.
Extending gratitude to the federal parliamentarians, government's spokesperson and Minister for Communications and Information Technology Parbat Gurung for selecting the road section, KC said, "I am confident that the upgrading of the road section, which is Dolakha's ring road, would help improve the lifestyle of all Dolakha residents."
Under the strategic project, the road beginning from Deurali Bazaar in Bagkhor of Sailung Rural Municipality-3 will be connected to Sitali of Melung Rural Municipality-7. Sitali is the lowest point in Dolakha.
A roadway starting from the border of Dolakha and Sindhupalchowk districts located at Bhimeshwor Municipality-9, up to Sitali through the district headquarters Charikot, Bhirkot of Tamakosi Rural Municipality, and Malukhola is already in operation.
Likewise, construction of a 16-kilometre road from Mudhe to Baghkhor has already completed with only blacktopping works remaining.
Vision Lama, another local of Sailung Rural Municipality-1, said that Dolakha Ring Road would be made after the Baghkhor-Bhainse-Sitali road section is blacktopped. "This road would play a beneficial role in promoting Sailung and Melung which are famous for the production of potatoes," he said.
The Baghkhor-Bhainse-Sitali road section will be 42-kilometre long.
Meanwhile, Communications Minister Parbat Gurung said that the locals would be benefitted after the blacktopping of the road. "It is necessary to ensure access to transportation for improving the lifestyle of Dolakha locals. I am always committed to building a prosperous Dolakha," he added.
Minister Gurung said that promotion of tourism, generation of electricity, and rise in agricultural products would be facilitated after the operation of the strategic road network.