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Nepal and India have agreed to expedite the construction of the postal road and cross-border railway connectivity. The Joint Commission (JC) meeting which concluded on Saturday has also decided to explore .possibilities for collaboration in other infrastructure projects.

The JC has decided to direct the concerned authorities of both the nations to carry out the works of Phase I of Tarai Roads also known as Postal Highway with ‘utmost priority’ and commence Phase II of the project. Postal road and five cross-border railway links are large scale projects being implemented under the assistance of India.

The decision of the JC meeting held after 23 years is expected to give boost to the construction of the postal road and five cross-border railway links which are moving at snail’s pace due to different complications. The meeting has also concluded that the construction of the Tanakpur-Mahendranagar link road should be expedited.

The postal road extends from the east to the west of the country along the lower part of the Tarai and is being constructed under the assistance of the Indian government as part of a bilateral cooperation programme.

Its Phase-I was started in 2010 and consists of 19 roads in Tarai districts with a total length of 606.75 km. There was also an agreement to start construction of Phase-II at the earliest after completing necessary preparations, according to government officials who participated in the meeting. Phase-II of the postal road is about 845 km long.

“Besides giving priority to ongoing projects, India has taken the request to provide support in other projects including Mid-Hill Highway and Kathmandu-Tarai Fast Track road positively,” said Bishnu Om Bade, joint secretary at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport. He added that the Indian side sought related information of projects during the JC meeting.

Construction of Mid-Hill Highway (eastern section) that links to Indian roads leading to Sikkim, Fast Track road development under viability gap funding provision, widening of East-West Highway (central and eastern sectors) to four-lane, and railway development support were some of the proposals floated by Nepal at JC meeting. With the widening of trade routes in Butwal-Bhairahawa and Rani-Itahari sections already underway, the government has felt the urgency to upgrade the two-lane east-west road to four-lane to facilitate bilateral trade.

To boost trade, construction of five cross-border railway links — Jaynagar (India)-Bardibas (Nepal), Jogbani (India)-Biratnagar (Nepal), Nautanwa (India)-Bhairahawa (Nepal), Rupaidiha (India)-Nepalgunj (Nepal), and from New Jalpaiguri of India to Kakarbhitta in Nepal — has been included in the plan as agreed upon by the two neighbours. Bade said that the JC meeting has agreed to intensify the first phase work of the cross-border railway.

Phase-I of cross-border rail connectivity includes Jaynagar-Bardibas which involves conversion of 51 km railway (Jaynagar to Bijalpura) into broad-gauge, 17 km extension up to Bardibas, and construction of 17.65 km Jogbani-Biratnagar.

Source-On Request