Construction of Seti Highway moving at snail's pace

Representative Illustration

ACHHAM, December 2: Despite being designated as a national pride project,  the construction of the Seti Highway is progressing at a snail’s pace. This roadway, vital for the prosperity of the Far West region, commenced construction in the fiscal year 2065–66 BS. It is expected to significantly boost the development of Sudurpaschim Province by connecting its northern and southern borders. However,  the progress has been outrageously slow.

The highway links Taklakot in Tibet to Baunia, Tikapur, and Kailali, which border India, passing through Chainpur in Doti, Achham, Bajura, and Bajhang. This multi-purpose highway connecting India, Nepal, and China is divided into two sections: the southern and northern sections.

The southern section spans 204 kilometers, with 80 kilometers in Achham, 12 kilometers in Bajura, 40 kilometers in Doti, and 72 kilometers in Kailali. Of this, 127 kilometers of the track—57 kilometers in Achham and 70 kilometers in Kailali—has been opened, according to the project authorities. But, 23 kilometers in Achham, 2 kilometers in Kailali, 40 kilometers in Doti, and 12 kilometers in Bajura remain unopened.

 The progress was stalled due to budget constraints and delays in obtaining tree-felling permits for the 40-kilometer stretch in Doti.

Birendra Bahadur Chand, head of the Seti Highway (South Section) and Tikapur-Lode-Chainpur Road Planning Office in Sanfebagar, stated that the Council of Ministers recently approved the tree-felling order, enabling construction work to resume in the current fiscal year.

Regarding bridges along the route, one motorable bridge in Kailali has been completed, while two others are under construction. In Achham, one bridge has been finished, and another is currently in the bidding process.

The northern section includes 128 kilometers of roads in Bajhang district. In Kailali, contracts for blacktopping 14 kilometers have been awarded, while in Achham, 3 kilometers of road have been blacktopped. The total length of the Seti Highway is 359 kilometers.