Gaidak (Nawalparasi): With the blacktopping at East Nawalparasi’s Gaidakot’s Dedhgaun, the construction of national pride Kaligandaki Corridor project has gained momentum.

The corridor passes from Gaindakot Municipality to Buligantar to Boudikali Rural Municipality connecting Palpa, Syangja, Parbat and Baglung districts with Muktinath in the end, according to the project.

Locals are excited as India-based EKK Construction, which won the contract for the project, has started blacktopping the 132-km road section from Kotthar in East Nawalparasi’s Bulingtar Rural Municipality-1 to Boudikali Rural Municipality, said said Chesram Ale, chief of District Coordination Committee.

Kapil Gauli, in-charge of Ashish Construction, said that the project is scheduled to complete in two months.

The construction of bridges over 32 rivers from Gaindakot to Boudidikali and all the work in Buligantar Rural Municipality has reached the final stage, according to the project.

Residents of the hilly areas of the district have become excited after the project started blacktopping, said Durga Bahadur Ranamagar, chairperson of Boudikali Rural Municipality.

Maina BK, vice-chairperson of Buligantar Rural Municipality, said that the distance between the hills and Madhes would be only a matter of an hour once the construction completes.

Gauli said that EKK Construction, which won the contract for USD 49.2 million (Rs. 5.70 billion), has subcontracted the work to Ashish Construction. The project is expected to be completed in two years.

Out of the 11-meter width of the road, seven meters will be blacktopped, with one-meter edge and one-meter drain.

According to the project, about 65 per cent works of the 85-kilometer road construction in Palpa has been completed so far.

The work was started by constructing four sections. However, the lack of road felling permission at Gaidakot area adversely affected it. Once that is approved, the construction will gain steam, said Gauli.

The project, started on December 3, 2018, is scheduled for completion by December, 2021.