Nepal gets 249 mn aid for road project from India

These roads are India's flagship assistance projects, while Postal Road Project is key for the development of Nepal's Tarai region.

Kathmandu, Jan 30: India on Monday handed over to Nepal a cheque for NRs 249 million to help four road projects in the Himalayan country.

Indian Ambassador Ranjit Rae handed over the cheque to Nepal's Physical Infrastructure and Transport Minister Ramesh Lekhak in Kathmandu at a function. The amount has been released towards 25 per cent of tendered cost (including 10 per cent mobilisation advance) of the four contracted road stretches.

The roads are Birendra Bazaar-Mahinathpur, Janakpur-Yadukuwa, Manmat-Kalaiya-Matiarwa (0-15 km road), and Manmat-Kalaiya-Matiarwa (15-26.660 km road). The projects are being implemented under Postal Highway Project in Nepal with the Indian government grant assistance of NRs 8,000 million, an official statement said.

Two roads -- Dhangadhi-Bhajaniya-Satti road and Lamki-Tikapur-Khakraula road -- constructed with Indian government's grant assistance worth NRs 1,020 million were inaugurated on January 19, 2017, at Dhangadhi in western Nepal, jointly by Indian Ambassador Rae and Minister Lekhak. These roads are India's flagship assistance projects, while Postal Road Project is key for the development of Nepal's Tarai region.

India has been assisting Nepal in upgradation of 1,450 km of roads under the Postal Highway Project. Identified as strategic road network, the first phase aims to construct 19 roads of 605 km length at a cost of $166 million.

IANS