Four years ago, the Lumbini provincial government launched an initiative to build ‘Smart Refresh Centres’ at five different places along the East-West Highway to reduce road accidents caused by driver fatigue and to provide amenities for both drivers and passengers. However, the ambitious project is now in limbo due to a lack of budget.

The provincial government led by Shankar Pokharel, general secretary of the ruling CPN-UML, in 2020 started constructing the “refresh centres” at five locations from Nawalparasi West to Bardiya by allocating around Rs 110 million budget. Each ‘refresh centre’ was designed to include a washroom, a shower room, parking area, vehicle washing area, sitting area, pathway, charging station, drivers’ room, a park, and eatery. Each centre covers nearly one bigha [1.6 acre] of land.

The provincial government had decided to construct such refresh centres at Bardaghat of Nawalparasi West, Sainamaina of Rupandehi, Chandrauta of Kapilvastu, Lamahi of Dang and Bardiya.

Foundation stones were laid with the aim of completing all five refresh centres within two years. However, the projects remain incomplete due to the successive governments’ failure to prioritise the projects, resulting in a budget shortage.

CPN (Maoist Centre) leader Kul Prasad KC, who succeeded Pokharel, slashed the budget for the construction of the ‘Smart Refresh Centre’. Three other chief ministers also did not keep the projects in priority. Currently UML leader Chet Narayan Acharya is the current chief minister of Lumbini.

The provincial government has started the construction of the refresh centres under the Ministry of Urban Development and Drinking Water. Construction has nearly completed at Sainamaina, 75 percent complete in Chandrauta, and 50 percent in Bardaghat. Construction was halted at one location due to a land dispute, while work has yet to begin in the fifth location.

Gunanidhi Pokharel, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Urban Development and Drinking Water, said the government started the construction of the refresh centres with the aim to reduce fatigue among long-distance drivers and passengers, provide toilet facilities and offer quality food. The government also aimed to manage highway waste. Although the construction of the centre has been completed at Sainamaina, it has yet come into operation due to a lack of operational guidelines.

“The provincial government cannot operate and manage the refresh centre by itself. So the ministry has prepared a set of guidelines, entrusting the local unit for its operation,” said Gunanidhi Pokharel. “The procedure prepared by the ministry was submitted to the provincial Council of Ministers before the end of the last fiscal year. But the Cabinet has not taken any decision about it so far.” He asserted that the local unit would soon operate the refresh centre once the operational guidelines are approved.

The construction of the refresh centres in Sainamaina and Bardaghat is being carried out by the Drinking Water and Sanitation Division Office. The construction work began in 2020 by awarding a contract worth Rs35.5 million.

“The first phase construction of the refresh centre has been completed in Sainamaina, Rupandehi. The second phase of construction will include waste management, park development, a charging station, parking area, sitting area, pathways, vehicle washing facility, and drivers’ room, among others,” said Aditya Dahal, an engineer at the division office. According to him, preparations are on to hand over the refresh centre to the local unit to complete the second phase of construction and operate the centre, as the provincial government did not allocate budget for project completion.

In Nawalparasi West, the smart refresh centre is under construction inside the Parijat Community Forest in ward 4 of Bardaghat Municipality. The construction site is around 300 metres from the East-West Highway. A project agreement was signed with Koju Engineering Sanjaya JV Kathmandu for Rs31.8 million in March, 2021. As per the agreement, the first phase construction of the refresh centre should have been completed by September, 2022. “The construction could not be completed as the government did not allocate the necessary budget,” said Dahal.

Around 50 percent work of the refresh centre in Chandrauta, Kapilvastu, has been completed so far. “Only some light fitting work is left under the first phase. But the government has not allocated any budget for the second phase of construction. We are planning to hand over the centre to Shivaraj Municipality for the second phase of construction and its operation,” said Dinesh Shah, chief at the division office.

Meanwhile, construction of the refresh centre has stalled in Lamahi, Dang, due to protests by local residents. And for the centre in Bardiya, the authorities have yet to find appropriate land.