By Rajani Yogi, Bulbule (Surkhet), Sept. 18:The project to establish new towns in different places of Karnali is not gaining momentum even after a decade. The work of building infrastructures essential for a city is too sluggish. Although budget is allocated every year, the project has not made satisfactory progress due to poor execution.

In order to check the migration from hills to the Tarai, the government brought the project to build a new town in Rakam of Dailekh district. The government had carried on the project to build the new town with all the important infrastructures through planned urbanisation.

Due to budget crunch and dispute over land, the targeted work could not be accomplished.

Dullu Smart City project left in lurch

After the government curtailed the budget, the project to build a smart city in Dullu is left in the lurch.

The government brought the project to build the ‘smart city’ from the fiscal year 2017-18 and Rs. 5 million was allocated for three consecutive years for the project, but the government has curtailed the budget from the current fiscal year.

As per the New Cities Project Coordination Office, Surkhet, under the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction, the building of the smart city lingered owing to budget deficit.

The government has dispensed Rs. 15 million in consecutive fiscal years, and even after seven years of the execution of the project tangible result has not been achieved. Mayor Bharat Prasad Rijal said, “The government has neglected the ‘smart city’ project due to budget crunch. The Municipality has not achieved its target as the government curtailed the budget.”

Master plan to build ‘smart city’

However, the plan to build a smart city combining three municipalities of eastern Surkhet is to be executed. The master plan to build the smart city along the Bheri River connecting Bheriganga, Gurvakot and Lekbesi Municipalities has progressed.

The master plan and Detailed Project Report (DPR) are being made examining transportation facilities, availability of land, population and management of settlement. Ramkrishna Acharya, the project chief, informed that the work to build smart cities has started. The project office is established in Gurvakot Municipality-5. The government has brought forward a concept of Bheriganga valley as a smart city as per its policy to build 40 smart cities throughout the country.

Smart cities being built in Himalayan Region

The work has also progressed to make ward numbers 5 and 6 of Namkha Rural Municipality a new Himalayan smart city. The proposed smart city aims to integrate the scattered settlements and develop tourism.

To check migration from the Mountain region to Terai, as per the project brought by the government, the construction of ‘Hilsa Smart City’ has started. The government has initiated the project to ensure planned urbanisation with sufficient infrastructure and to advance the services of agriculture, education and tourism. A road is being constructed to facilitate the pilgrimage visiting Mansarovar via Hilsa. The government had allocated Rs. 20 million for the project. Urban Development and Building Office, Jumla is carrying out the work of building the Himalayn Smart City. The federal government has also started the work of building a new smart city at Jufal in Thuli Bheri Municipality, from the fiscal year 2022-23.

The new smart city project can be fruitful to minimise unemployment. Last year, Rs. 7 million froze due to a dispute over land acquisition. Chandra Bahadur Bhandari, engineer of Urban Development and Building Office, said they are calling a tender in a few days.TRN Online