Kathmandu, June 24
Lawmakers have expressed doubts over Nepal Army’s capacity to complete the ambitious Kathmandu-Tarai fast track project within next two years.
Speaking at a meeting of the Development Committee of the House of Representatives, the four years’ time given to the army two years ago was not sufficient for the project.
Lawmaker Ganesh Pahadi said the project could not be over in two years as the detailed project report had not been ready yet.
Pahadi also pointed at a dispute between the project and locals of Khokana in Lalitpur and demanded that the assignment to carry out construction works in Khokana section be halted till the dispute was resolved. He informed that two companies already won the contract for the area.
Likewise, lawmaker Anil Kumar Jha said the army was carrying out works along a 54 km section only; and nothing was done along the remaining 18 km. He added that many trees were chopped down, but the authorities did not pay attention to reforestation.
Lawmaker Jip Chhiring Lama claimed that project would take at least next five years to complete.
Claiming the construction works were delayed of late, the panel’s chairperson Kalyani Khadka said the army should accelerate the assignment to meet the challenging deadline.
