Build Quality Roads

Road infrastructure is one of the most important public assets, contributing significantly to economic growth and overall development of a nation. Roads connect producers with market, patients with hospital, workers with office, and students with schools, making them a foundation for development and prosperity. Besides, by providing access to employment, health facilities, education and other fundamental needs, road infrastructure has been critical for developed or developing countries in their journey out of poverty and backwardness.   

Nepal has recently seen massive construction and expansion of road networks, with several places now flouting world-class roads. While most of the top-notch quality roads are built with the technical and financial assistance of donor countries, the overwhelming majority, mostly built by local contractors, are of less than satisfactory quality. It's no wonder then that potholes and cracks start appearing in abundant numbers in the latter far quicker than in the former. The lack of technology transfer seems to have deprived our builders of much-needed expertise in building superb infrastructures, including roads.

The importance of building high-quality roads cannot be overstressed. In the event of emergency – like earthquake, floods and landslides – when the victims and vulnerable have to be rescued to safety in a race against time, the condition of the road acts as the determinant of their fate. We routinely come across heartbreaking news of ambulance being stuck with a critically-ill patient or an expectant mother in heavy labour pain who needs urgent medical attention in a road severed by flood or landslide, or ravaged by the plying of heavy vehicles. To address such life-death situation and others, building word-class roads is a must.            

There's another major issue responsible for the sorry state of our roads: delays in construction. The delay in the expansion of the Narayangadh-Butwal road section in Nawalpur district is a case in point. The road, initially slated for completion by August 7, 2022, has seen only 54 per cent progress so far, with five more months remaining before the third extended deadline expires. The repercussions of this delay has been too costly for many to bear. The tourism and hotel industries in the district are hit hardest. Local tourism and hotel entrepreneurs have expressed frustration at the worsening travel conditions that have continued to keep tourists away.

Tourism, which was beginning to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, has suffered again due to the pathetic condition of the road. Some hotel entrepreneurs have even lamented that the economic challenge they are facing now is so severe that it even pales in comparison with those during the pandemic or aftermath of the 2015 earthquake. The major tourist attraction of Nawalpur are jungle safari, wildlife observation, rural settings, scenic locations and Tharu culture, among others. 

Poor road conditions, including potholes and muddy stretches, have discouraged domestic and international tourists from using the route, robbing thousands of locals of their livelihood. Over half of the hotels in the district have shut down since the road expansion project began. About 900 businesses have been displaced, causing losses not only to entrepreneurs but also to the state. This dire situation calls for the government to leap into action to improve things. Needless to say, well-maintained roads attract tourists by providing easy access to scenic locations and attractions. We cannot go far enough in our effort to bring in more tourists if the infrastructure as basic as roads languish in tatters.