The issue of connecting Simkot, the district headquarters of Humla, with the national road network has been raised by the political parties since the election to the erstwhile House of Representatives in 1999.
The candidates of the ruling coalition parties and the UML have also included road connectivity as their first priority in their manifestos for the upcoming election to the House of Representatives.
Phunjok Lama, a leader of civil society, said that the commitment to connect Simkot with the national road network has been expressed by the parties in every election, but their commitment has been limited only in words.
Though the road is now under construction, it is disappointing as it has not been completed for many years, Lama added.
Not only during the election, but also during other programmes, the party leaders elected to the Province Assembly and the House of Representatives have prioritised road construction.
Jeevan Bahadur Shahi, Chief Minister of Karnali Province and a candidate to the Provincial Assembly from Humla (B), said that the Karnali Corridor would be completed soon. He is a candidate from the ruling coalition party.
He said, “Although the parties have been raising this issue for a long time during the election time, due to the slow pace of road construction, it has not been completed on time.”
Shahi has also been giving top priority to road issue since the Constituency Assembly Election in 2007.
Dal Rawal, a candidate from the UML to the House of Representatives, said that among the 21 commitments announced by his party for this election, road construction was the first priority.
He said that the remaining work of the corridor is being carried by the Nepali Army and initiatives would be taken to arrange the necessary budget to complete it quickly. The government has also been incorporating road construction connecting Simkot with the national road network in its annual budget and programmes since 1994.
The Karnali Corridor from Kawadi to Hilsa is 184 km long. Of this, construction of 39 km road section from Kawadi to Salisalla has been completed and handed over by the Nepali Army while the 95 km road section from Simkot to Hilsa has also been completed by the Hilsa Simkot road project.
Now, 11 km from Dulli Kuna to Lalibagar is left to build on the 50 km road of the Simkot Salisalla section. Currently, the Nepal Army has been working in this section.
The Nepali Army said, “Due to the challenging rocky topography, it will take one and a half years to complete the road.”
Source : TRN,
