Kimathanka road makes breakthrough

BY DHYAN KULUNG,Sankhuwasabha, Jan. 28: A ‘breakthrough’ has been made in a road connecting Jogbani in India and Tibet in China via Kimathanka in Sankhuwasabha district. 

The breakthrough was achieved by blasting rocks at the Ghongoppa area of Bhote Khola in the presence of three federal ministers on Monday.

 Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Deepak Khadka, Minister for Defense Manbir Rai, Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Devendra Dahal and others were present on the occasion. 

Although a construction company had been contracted to open the road track, the hard rocks from Chyamtang to Ghongoppa in Bhote Khola Rural Municipality-2 had made it impossible to open the track. As blasting materials were required for road expansion, a Cabinet meeting on September 8, 2019, assigned the responsibility of road construction to the Nepali Army. After the Nepali Army completed the task of opening the track, the breakthrough was achieved on Monday. The Nepali Army was given the responsibility of opening around 10.5 kilometres of the track out of the 162 kilometres between Khandbari and Kimathanka.

On the occasion, the Nepali Army provided updates on the progress of its work. Additionally, Minister Khadka said that with the connection of the Khandbari-Kimathanka road, the path to national prosperity had been opened.

 He pointed out that the road would play a significant role in trilateral transportation between the three countries. He also claimed that not only Nepal, India and China but also Bangladesh would benefit from this road once it became operational. 

Defense Minister Rai praised the work done by the Nepali Army. He commended the Nepali Army’s dedication to the development sector, which had led to the connection of three countries through the road. 

Minister Devendra Dahal directed the Nepal Army to complete the remaining work swiftly. Although the track had been opened in rocky areas, the work of widening it was still pending. He assured that the necessary budget would be ensured to complete the task as well.