It is an established fact that there is a deep correlation between roads and development; hence the government’s commitment in expanding our road network comes as a breath of fresh air. According to a news report published in Republica last week, the government is dedicated to connecting all our district headquarters via road within the next three years. Additionally, in the same time period, it is planning to finish track-opening of the 1,700 Mid-Hill Highway. This year’s budget too has put a serious emphasis on strengthening our road network.
There are six districts – Solukhumbu, Dolpa, Humla, Mugu, Manang and Bajura – that are yet to be connected by road. If all goes well and the projects complete on time, it will positively change the lives of people living in these places. Roads not only make contact with the outside world easier but accelerate economic growth, helping to pull out people from the vicious cycle of poverty. It opens up access to vital services such as healthcare and education, which leads to a positive change in the quality of people’s life. Besides the spinoff effects, investing in infrastructure such as roads directly creates more job opportunities for the common citizens. Additionally, in a country such as Nepal that primarily depends on agriculture, the absence of roads has a debilitating effect on farmers. Either they cannot transport their harvest or have to rely on middlemen to do the same who walk away with most of the profit.
According to Roads Department data, the total length of roads in Nepal built by 2007 stood at 19,207 kms. The 1,700 kms Mid-Hill Highway, meanwhile, will add another 600 kms to the total. The Highway will upgrade and use 1,100 kms of existing roads. As opposed to most of the existing roads in the hills, the Mid-Hill Highway will be double-lane. While building new roads is crucial, it is also equally important to focus on regularly maintaining the existing roads. In many parts of the country, roads are crumbling and they are as good as non-existent. These lifelines of our economy need better attention and care.
Having said that, considering that constructing roads in Nepal is no mean task as the terrain in the Hills and Mountains pose quite a formidable challenge, we must applaud the good work that has been done so far in connecting our country. Last but not the least, we hope that the projects to connect the district headquarters and build the Mid-Hill Highway will be completed on schedule.
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Some World Bank sponsor please first class trains. Then the army and the terrorists together can cooperate in infraestructure than chopping up each other.
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