Work on Tanakpur-Jauljibi road to start in December

Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, September 12

The construction on a stretch of Tanakpur-Jauljibi road along the Kali on the Indo-Nepal border adjoining Pithoragarh and Champawat will resume from December this year. The process of e-tendering has begun and to be concluded on September 22, PWD Superintendent Engineer and in-charge of the assignment DS Hyanki said at Champawat today.

The work on the road had been suspended in 2012 after the Union Government gave priority to the construction of the Pancheswar Dam at same site but remained in a fix on its height. “Now it has been decided at a joint meeting with the SSB, the PWD and other agencies, convened by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs last month, that around 30-km stretch near the proposed dam will be kept unconstructed until a consensus on the height of the proposed dam reached between the Government of India and Nepal government,” said the PWD engineer.

A portion of the 134.57 km road, which will be constructed, falls between Thuligar near Tanakpur and Rupaligar near Tamli village.

“The 43-km part of the proposed road will cost about Rs 230 crore while the estimate of the entire road has been put at Rs 733 crore,” said Hyanki

The PWD engineer said the road with high-strategic significance had been proposed to be constructed by Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

According to SSB sources, the road along the Kali will cover 31 border outposts with Nepal in Champawat and Pithoragarh districts.

“The road will also benefit 33 villages in both districts,” said the PWD engineer.