By Kabiraj Ghimire,Hile, Feb. 6: Work on the Tamor Corridor is likely to be halted in lack of the required budget. More than Rs. 580 million, which was allocated for the under-construction Tamor Corridor, has already been spent.
As of the end of Poush (mid-December 2023), Rs. 400 million was disbursed for the construction of the corridor, and more than Rs. 250 million has been spent since mid-December while only Rs. 180 million is left from the allocated budget.
Pradeep Niraula, chief of the Tamor Corridor Project, said that the work is about to be halted in lack of budget.
The contract for blacktopping of 112 kilometres of road section from Mulghat in Dhankuta to Panchthar was awarded in October/November 2022 at a cost of Rs. 4.16 billion.
In the last fiscal year, Rs. 480 million was allocated for the upgrading of this road, but very little budget has been allocated this year although more than Rs. 2 billion was required this year to complete the road, said Niraula.
This is the shortest route to connect not only the eastern hills with the Tarai but also India and China. The corridor, one of the national pride projects, is in the blacktopping stage, but budget deficit is likely to affect its construction this year.
About 30 per cent of work has been accomplished in the 28-kilometre road from Mulghat to Nawakhola section. It has become difficult to pay workers as the government has not allocated the budget as per the agreement, said the construction company.
Ajan Dahal, manager of Rautah Kshamadevi Construction Company, said that the work could be halted if the payment was not provided as per the agreement.
District Coordination Chief Niran Tamang said that preparations were made to inform the ministry about the budget shortfall and problems of the project.
The length from Mulghat of Dhankuta to Tamor River is about 180 kilometres and the length of the Rani Customs of Biratnagar bordering India and China border area is 270 kilometres.
Before the opening of the track it took six hours to reach the Tarai via Panchthar and Ilam but after the opening of the track it takes only four hours to reach Tarai.
