Although the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has said that the road will be upgraded in view of Modi’s reported visit, officials from the Division Road Office (DRO) at Janakpur said the ministry has not contacted them about the matter.

“It is difficult to upgrade the road in less than one month. Only minor repairs could be performed on such short notice,” said Dinesh Aryal, engineer at DRO.

Other roads in Janakpur Municipality are also in a state of disrepair. Parikrama road, one of the three routes leading to Janaki Temple from Bus Stand in Janakpur, has developed cracks and fissures on the surface.

Concerned authorities said although the Indian side had agreed to upgrade nine roads in Dhanusa, Mahattori and Sarlahi districts, including the Vittamod-Janakpur road, the roads were never repaired, owing to various reasons.

Raj Kumar Sharma, chairman of Greater Janakpur Area Development Council, accused the authorities of being apathetic towards the development of Janakpur and not prioritising Modi’s plan to visit Janakpur. Sharma said that they had demanded Rs70 million for beautification of Janakpur in view of Indian prime minister’s visit, but the government only released Rs10 million. The amount is not adequate to fix the roads and decorate the town to welcome Modi, he said.