The Kakri-Maikot stretch of highway, being constructed as the Shahid Marga project, was found—six years after its construction began—that it does not actually fall under the project.

Currently, construction of the highway running from Koilabas in Dang to Lukum in Rukum East is underway along the stretch from Ghorahi in Dang to Maikot in Rukum East. As the construction continues, the Shahid Marga Project Office, Dahaban, Rolpa, has issued a circular to Putha Uttarganga Rural Municipality, stating that only the Koilabas-Lukum section falls under the project and that construction should proceed accordingly.

In a letter concerning the Kakri–Maikot road section in Rukum (eastern part), the Sahid Marga Project Office stated that work is ongoing on the 220-kilometre stretch, assuming Ghorahi as the starting point and Maikot as the endpoint.

The letter issued by Project Chief Madhav Prasad Adhikari says a review of the government-approved national highway list from May 20, 2019, shows that only the 211 kilometres Koilabas–Lukum section is officially part of Shahid Marga.

He said maintenance and upgrading had previously been carried out on the disputed section under annual and multi-year contracts. However, authorities have now been asked not to carry out any additional construction, maintenance or upgrade works on the 65-kilometre Kakri-Maikot stretch using the Sahid Marga project’s budget.

As a result, only basic maintenance will be carried out on the disputed section in the current fiscal year, Adhikari said, adding that from the next fiscal year 2026-27, responsibility for the stretch will shift to the respective rural municipality or the provincial government unless another decision is made.

“After noticing a very low budget allocation for the current fiscal year, we conducted a study and found that the Kakri–Maikot section does not fall under the Shahid Marga Project,” he said, admitting the mistake and pledging to correct it.

However, the development has disappointed the residents of Rukum East and Putha Uttarganga Rural Municipality.

Puni Raj Gharti, Putha Uttarganga Rural Municipality chairperson, said it was unfortunate to claim that the section does not fall under the Sahid Marg. He said they had already met the Director General of the Department of Roads, requesting that the section be retained under the project.

“Work has been carried out under the Shahid Marga project until now. To suddenly say it does not fall under the project is unjust,” he said. “We believe this section must remain under the Sahid Marg.”

Under the Sahid Marg project, 31.5 kilometres of road from Ghorahi in Dang to Holeri in Rolpa has been blacktopped, although the surface is now in poor condition. A further 69.5 kilometres from Holeri to Darbot in Rolpa has also been blacktopped.

Blacktopping work is underway on a 46-kilometre stretch from Darbot to Kharibot in Rolpa, while the section from Kharibot to Mahat in Rukum East has been gravelled.

The remaining stretch from Mahat to Dumai has only been opened as a basic track. Currently, vehicles operate from Mahat to Khabang Bagar, and the Mahat–Dumai section is not operational. The Dumai-Kakri–Lukum section falls under the Mid-Hill Highway.

Local residents say the Kakri–Maikot section holds significant importance in connecting Putha Uttarganga Rural Municipality of Rukum East to the national road network. Gharti said the section is considered the district’s “lifeline” and should be developed accordingly.