Karnali. The process of felling trees along the Mulpani-Ranighat-Telpani-Bhurigaun road section, a short road connecting Lumbini and SudurPaschim provinces with the Tarai, has begun.
Infrastructure Development Directorate Surkhet and Thodung-Jagriti JV had signed a contract to upgrade the Ranighat-Telpani road at a cost of around Rs 130 million.
Although the construction work was supposed to be completed by February 1, 2082 BS, the physical progress of the road has been only 10 percent even when the construction period is nearing completion. According to the Directorate, the JV will continue the construction work in the same budget.
The process of felling trees in Bardiya National Park has started six years after the construction work started after signing a contract agreement. The construction work was stuck due to the felling of trees and non-completion of the legal process of land ownership. It is expected that the construction project will be completed now if the process of cutting trees along the road finally goes ahead.
The national park has submitted a report to the Infrastructure Development Directorate, Surkhet, collecting the details of trees falling from Shreechaur to Telpani of Barahatal rural municipality-1 in the first section of the road. A report has been submitted to the Directorate with the opinion that 4,100 trees in the intermediate area should be cut down.
The construction work has been stalled for a long time as the work of cutting trees along the road in the intermediate area has not progressed. Surya Bahadur Shahi, director of the Infrastructure Development Directorate, Surkhet, said that the report would be submitted to the Federal Ministry of Forest and Environment after completing the necessary procedures.
According to him, the process of felling trees will start after the cabinet meeting approves the proposal of the ministry. Director Shahi said, “We have already sent the report file of 4,484 trees within the jurisdiction of the road to the Forest Department. Preparations are underway to cut 384 trees in community and national forest areas and 4,100 trees in intermediate areas. ’
Director Shahi said that the project would be completed within the next one year if no one else gets involved in the felling of trees. According to him, birendranagar, the capital of Karnali state, is 51 kilometers away from Bhurigaun. If this road is upgraded and expanded, it can be reached from Bhurigaun to Birendranagar within an hour.
The track opened by the then District Panchayat in 2025 BS as a postal road touches Birendranagar from Amreni of Thakurbaba Municipality-2, Bardiya Bhurigaun to Telpani of Barahatal Rural Municipality of Karnali State.
If this road connecting Surkhet-Bhurigaun is fully constructed, Karnali will be easily connected to Lumbini and Sudurpaschim provinces and it will help in market expansion.
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