Korala-Triveni Road in priority of Gandaki government

By Amarraj Naharki,Tanahun, Nov. 28:The Korala-Pokhara-Triveni road, regarded as a pride project of Gandaki Province, has been prioritised for swift completion by the provincial government. 

Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development and Transport Management, Prakash Bahadur KC, along with his team, conducted an on-site inspection of the project on Tuesday.

The inspection covered projects in Bhimad Municipality, Ghiring Rural Municipality in Tanahun and Baudikali Rural Municipality in Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta East). The team travelled from Bhimad via Ghiring to Ruchang in Nawalpur as part of the review process.

A 23-kilometre stretch of the road, from Dumkibas to Triveni, passes through a protected area. To address challenges related to this section, Minister KC, along with Ministry Secretary Kamal Kumar Adhikari, inspected the site on Wednesday, visiting the disputed areas leading to Triveni.

During the visit, Minister KC held discussions with local representatives, including Bhimad Municipality Mayor Dadhiraj Subedi, Ghiring Rural Municipality Chairperson Home Bahadur Thapa and Baudikali Rural Municipality Chairperson Prakash Ojha. 

The local leaders highlighted delays in project completion despite budget allocations and presented other infrastructure-related challenges.

Mayor Subedi and Chairperson Thapa pointed out that the road connecting Bhimad and Ghiring should have been completed seven years ago but faced delays due to legal issues involving contractors. Thapa also stressed the need to address problems on the Krishna Marg road as a priority.

Minister KC assured that his ministry would work on resolving the road's issues after understanding the challenges during the inspection. He pledged to coordinate with the Tanahun Infrastructure Office to address Krishna Marg’s problems and explore solutions.

Chairperson Ojha of Baudikali Rural Municipality requested priority funding for the Dedhgaon Ring Road project, mentioning challenges like depopulation and staff shortages in rural areas.

In response, Minister KC said that while the current fiscal year’s budget could not accommodate new allocations, future budgets would address pressing needs. He reiterated the provincial government’s commitment to supporting local development initiatives.

The Korla-Triveni road, which connects Triveni in Nepal to Korala in China, is expected to hold significant long-term importance. Minister KC said that Gandaki Province has prioritised the project to enhance connectivity with neighbouring China and India. 

Although the project was allocated a budget in 2019, construction began only after a contract was signed in April 2022.