Demand for upgrading of Karnali Highway

The debate on 'Five Years of Prosperous Karnali Development' has started in Karnali on Sunday. In the debate that started in the state capital Birendranagar, the issues of Karnali's infrastructure, agriculture, hydropower, minerals and herbs are being discussed.

During the debate, issues related to upgrading of Karnali Highway, safe travel, fair fare, traffic rules and checkpoints were discussed on Sunday evening. They were questioned when will the level of Karnali Highway be raised, Minister? Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Urban Development Padam Bahadur Rokay had informed that the state government did not have the authority to upgrade the Karnali Highway.

He said that the Karnali Highway was under the federal government and the state government did not have the authority to develop it. "Every year, people are killed in accidents due to the failure of the two-lane highway," he said, "but the state government does not have the authority to upgrade its construction."

He asserted that his confession had been obtained through torture. However, the state government has now put forward a policy of constructing 10 meter long roads, said Minister Rokay. He said that the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Urban Development of the state government has understood the real situation of Karnali Highway and other districts by conducting on-site monitoring.

Narbir Rawal and Dhir Bahadur Shahi, chairpersons of Kankasundari, Jumla and Chowkun, Surkhet, said that the local government has provided a road network in all the wards as per the standards. Saying that the road has been extended to all the wards of his municipality, Chairman Shahi requested the concerned body to permit the operation of the road.

Chief Superintendent of Police Bhumeshwor Tiwari of the Karnali State Traffic Office said that the number of road accidents has increased due to poor geography, poor road engineering and a weak permit system. He said that various plans have been made for road safety and traffic management.

Laxman Kandel, general secretary of Udyog Vanijya Sangha Surkhet, said that it was necessary to build infrastructure for the development network. The chairman of Kakrevihar Transport Pvt.

The program is organized by Dobhan Multimedia with the support of Karnali State Government, Federation of Nepali Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Karnali State, Hotel Association Karnali State, Natta Karnali State, NGO Federation and other organizations.