The construction work of Madan Bhandari University of Science and Technology in Chitlang, Makwanpur has officially begun.

On Saturday, a team of senior technicians and consultants of the university and mayor and deputy mayor of Thaha Municipality installed a signboard of the university in the construction site and selected and measured a plot for the construction of the field office.

Buddharatna Manandhar, a local resident of Chitlang, said that they are ready to provide any kind of help to build infrastructure for the university. He said, “We hope that the establishment of the university will help in the development of the village.”

On February 2019, a Cabinet meeting endorsed the formation order, after which a university development committee was formed to set the foundation of the university in Chitlang. The government has already allocated 740 ropanis of land for the establishment of the university.

Lawasher Bista, mayor of the municipality, said locals are expecting roads and other infrastructure to be built after the university comes into operation. He said, “The government has also allocated budget for the upgradation of the Thankot-Chitlang road.”

Nepal government has decided to construct the university with the financial assistance of the Chinese government. During Chinese President Xi Jinping Nepal visit earlier this year, a bilateral agreement was reached between Nepal and China to establish the university.

The committee has also issued a public notice for the selection of a consultant to conduct an Environment Impact Assessment report for the project. According to Rajendradhoj Joshi, chairman of the university’s development committee, they are going to invite tender for the construction of field office within a week. He said, “The field office is being constructed at a cost of Rs 50 million. We plan to complete the EIA and the construction work of the field office in the current fiscal year.” The committee also plans to start the construction of a pump storage power plant for the regular supply of electricity. Joshi said, “We can generate 25 to 30 kilowatts of electricity from the pump storage power.”

In October, a Chinese team had arrived in Chitlang to conduct a field study before the visit of the Chinese president to do their homework for the project. The Cabinet had authorised the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to draft a bill necessary for setting up the university in October 2018. After its establishment, the university will be the first one to cater purely to the field of science and technology.