The Chaurjahari Model Town Development Project imposed legal restrictions on the sale or transfer of land belonging to Sarbajit Batala of Tatagaun in ward 3 of Chaurjahari Municipality in Rukum West three years ago. He can neither use the land nor sell it.

“Initially, we were very happy, thinking that our land would be converted into well-managed plots for house construction. But work hasn’t yet started. Three years have passed and we are still hoping the land would be developed into plots to set up model towns. It is still not clear when the work on model town gathers momentum or when we will get back our land,” said Batala.

Batala’s neighbour Chandra Bahadur BK shares a similar ordeal. They complained that the project has prevented them from using or selling their land for years under the pretext of developing the area into a model town. “We are left in hardships due to delayed progress of the project,” grumbled BK.

The federal government’s plan to build a modern town in Chaurjahari of Rukum West along the Mid-Hill Highway is yet to gather momentum. Chaurjahari Model Town Development Project claims that the project hits a snag due to lack of required budget.

According to the proposed modern town plan, roads, bus parks, schools, colleges, hospitals, electricity, and water supply, among other infrastructures, should be constructed in Chaurjahari and other identified settlements for them to qualify as ‘modern towns’. The plan is to develop 20,000 well managed land plots for housing. But progress has been minimal, and some work has yet to begin.

“Only Rs80 million budget has been allocated to Chaurjahari in the current fiscal year of 2024-25. We cannot complete even a minor infrastructure plan with this amount. At this pace, the project to develop Chaurjahari as a model town cannot be completed even in 20 years unless the government allocates the necessary budget,” said Shishindra Ghimire, acting chief of Chaurjahari Model Town Development Project.

Chaurjahari of Rukum West is one of the 10 places along the Mid-Hill Highway designated by the government for developing ‘model towns’ with modern amenities. The project aims to house around 100,000 people in each and curb migration from hill districts.

In 2011, the Ministry of Urban Development selected Chaurjahari along with Burtibang of Baglung, Basantapur of Tehrathum, Phidim of Panchthar, Dumre Bhansar of Tanahun, Baireni Galchhi of Dhading, Khurkot of Sindhuli, Rakam Karnali of Dailekh, Sanfebagar of Achham, and Patan of Baitadi to be developed as modern towns. The objective was to check growing outmigration as many people have been leaving their ancestral lands due to lack of inadequate amenities and services.

The government planned to complete the project within 20 years, with a budget of Rs10 billion for each town.

According to Ghimire, the construction of a Ring Road in ward No 1, 2 and 3 of Chaurjahari Municipality is left in limbo due to a budget crunch. “At least Rs800 million is required to construct the Ring Road but only Rs50 million has been spent so far. The project was started in 2011 with an aim to complete it in 20 years at the cost of Rs10 billion. None of the infrastructure projects, except the bus park, have been completed so far,” said Ghimire.

Chaurjahari Model Town Development Project plans to manage land for town planning in Gharigaun in ward 1 of Chaurjahari-1 and in Tatagaun of ward 3 of the municipality. While work began in Gharigaun, it has been left incomplete due to lack of budget. But no progress has been made in Tatagaun.

The Chaurjahari Model Town Development Project constructed the bus park at the cost of Rs 30 million and handed it over to the municipality.

“We are planning to invite tenders for two projects—the construction of a landfill site and town planning in Gharigaun—this year. A total of Rs30 million has already been spent to construct landfill sites, and additional Rs20 million will be spent this year. Still we need an additional Rs6 million to complete the landfill site,” said Ghimire, underscoring the need for the required budget to make the project a success.

The situation in Rakam Karnali of Dailekh district is similar. Construction of various development infrastructures including road upgrade, bus park construction, drainage construction, landfill site construction has stalled due to budget shortages. The Rakam Karnali model town project, aimed at developing infrastructures in ward 1, 2 and 4 of Athbiskot Municipality, was initiated with an estimated budget of Rs 19.82 billion. So far, only around Rs 262.8 million has been spent.

“Rakam Karnali’s model town project is a national project in name only. Progress is moving at a snail’s pace mainly due to lack of necessary budget,” said Tarka Bahadur Baduwal, mayor of Athabiskot Municipality.