Border pillars with India being repaired

By Our Correspondents,Mahottari/Sarlahi, Nov. 3: Security officials of the Armed Police Force (APF) Nepal have started reconstructing, repairing and colouring the border pillars of Nepal's side in eight districts of Madhes Province.

On the first day on Thursday,  the work began from pillar number 285/4 located at Jatahi border point of Nagarain Municipality-2 of Dhanusha district. It was said that the Indian side had already done the work.

As per the Cabinet decision of Nepal held in June 2020, the APF was assigned the work of repairing and colouring the odd-numbered pillars while the Indian side worked on even-numbered pillars. 

The step was inaugurated by Dipendra Shah, Deputy Inspector General of the APF, from the Dasgaja area in Dhanusha district on Thursday.

Nepali authorities are repairing the odd-numbered pillars while the Indian authorities are repairing the even-numbered pillars that were established after 2014.

The initiation has been followed in all the districts bordering India annually.

In Mahottari district, the APF No. 8 Battalion Headquarters initiated the repairing process in the presence of Matihani Municipality Mayor Hari Prasad Mandal. They started the step from border pillar number 295/8.

Officials informed that the pillars are checked and repaired as necessary. The pillars are also being repainted.

APF No. 10 Battalion Headquarters’ Senior Superintendent Tul Bahadur Bhandari informed that they started the repairing process for 137 odd-numbered border pillars in Sarlahi district.

The repairment was initiated from 333/11 numbered border pillar in Bishnu Rural Municipality of Sarlahi.

“While we are repairing only the odd-numbered pillars, it should be performed in the presence of our Indian counterparts. The Indian side also repairs the even-numbered pillars in our presence,” said Bhandari.

Officials informed that the repairment process strengthens ties with Indian counterparts and creates a space for discussion on the ways to mitigate cross-border crimes.