Construction works on Kaligandaki Road Corridor have gathered pace, with the relaxation of restrictions at Nepal-India border points.

Nepal Army has been undertaking the works in Baglung and Gulmi district, while North-South Highway Project Office and Myagdi Division Road are spearheading the job in Palpa and Nawalparasi.

Chief of North-South Highway Project Office at Bartung Guru Prasad Adhikari said a road section from Nawalparasi’s Gaidkot to Mustang’s Korala would be ready for vehicular movement by mid-April.

The army has also intensified works on Maldhunga-Palungkhola section of the road in Gulmi.

The Kaligandaki Road Corridor is expected to connect neighbouring China and India. The road starts from Gaidakot and connects six districts in Lumbini, Dhawalagiri and Gandaki zones. Track opening works on 130km Gaidakot-Pipaldanda section have been completed.

Works on 42km Ramdi-Ridi (Argali) section have also been expedited. Track opening is expected to complete by mid-February, according to Adhikari. Vehicular movement has already begun on the 44km Ridi-Rudrabeni-Palungkhola section.

The construction works, which had slowed due to shortage of fuel and construction material as a result of India’s trade blockade, resumed after Nepal Army started making available fuel.

Lieutenant Colonel Reshmi Raj Bhattarai, chief of Nepal Army’s Road Construction Division, said they continued with the construction works despite the fuel shortage.

Nepal Army has been currently working on the track opening of 13km Maldhunga-Takuri and 8km Takuri-Chhisti sections.

The Army has said the project cost will increase due to the compulsion to procure fuel higher costs.  Bhattarai said they were buying fuel at Rs300 per litre.

Meanwhile, several villages along the road have now turned into e market centres. “The corridor has brought immense changes to the villages,” said Krishna Kumar Aryal, a resident of Rampur Municipality.