Government advised to choose Dukuchhap not Khokana as zero point of Kathmandu/Terai Fast Track

Kathmandu, June 18: The Indigenous Nationalities Commission today called on Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli today with the submission that the starting point for the Kathmandu-Terai/Madhesh Fast Track/ Expressway be shifted to Dukuchhap of Godavari municipality-8 from Phudol of Khokana in Lalitpur.     

During the meeting held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Singha Durbar, Commission Chair Ram Bahadur Thapa Magar presented the submission of the study report to the Prime Minister.     

The document states that the proposed zero point of the project at Phudol in Khokana, Lalitpur metropolis–21, poses a risk of displacement for the indigenous Newar community and violates the human rights of the local residents.     

The report highlights the identity of Khokana as a religious and cultural heritage of the Newar community, indicating that why it is not appropriate to implement the road construction project here. Furthermore, the report recommends that the government obtain prior informed consent from the local indigenous communities before deciding to implement development projects.(RSS)