DTC asks Infra Ministry to prepare five-year master plan

Kathmandu, Aug. 16: 

The Development and Technology Committee (DTC) of the Parliament has asked the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Development (MoPIT) to prepare a detailed report of the infrastructure target for the next five years.

Following the lawmakers' demand at the DTC meeting on Thursday that the ministry should have a clear roadmap of the railways and highways to be developed in the coming five years, committee chairman Jip Chhiring Lama directed the MoPIT to develop the outline of the development works for the coming years.

The DTC also asked the ministry to submit the details of infrastructure projects currently in operation, their progress report, as well as the expenditure for such projects in the last fiscal year 2017/18, including transfer of funds and non-budgetary expenses.

The parliamentary committee made a special note on the delay in completing the national pride projects and directed the government to ensure their timely completion.

 “The ministry should also work on the ways to make the prevailing laws development-friendly,” said the decision of the DTC.

It asked for greater and effective coordination and collaboration among the three levels of government for infrastructure development, clarify the work area for the respective government and enhance local bodies' capacity.

Lawmaker Ganesh Pahadi said that some of the local units did not allocate budget to the infrastructure projects such as roads that were handed over to them as per the new Constitution. Many of such projects have become nobody’s concerns.

Another lawmaker Aasha Kumari BK said that the entire Karnali province is facing severe crisis of quality infrastructure while many local units do not have road connectivity.

Lawmakers expressed their concerns about the growing number of vehicle accidents, railway development, corruption in the development projects and pathetic condition of the roads in the Kathmandu Valley.

Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Raghubir Mahaseth said that the ministry was sincere in completing the development works in time, but it lacked sufficient human resources, technology and blasting materials.

He also said that the construction and upgrading of the Kalanki-Nagdhunga and Chabhil-Sankhu road would be expedited within a few days as the continuous rain was disturbing the work.

“Both the roads will be fit for smooth traffic movement by the end of this fiscal year 2018/19,” he stated.

Rabindra Nath Shrestha, Director General at the Department of Roads (DoR), said that the roads in the valley would have no more mud and dust after August 26 as the major roads had been renovated for the upcoming BIMSTEC Summit 2018.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 17 August 2018.