Kathmandu: Optical fibre has been installed along 1,013 kilometres length so far under the Optical Fiber Backbone Network Expansion Project across the country.

Nepal Telecom Authority (NTA) had initiated the project with a goal of expanding the optical fibre network within two years, but only 46.53 per cent of work has been completed till October 17, said the project officials.

Nepal Telecom, which had got the responsibility of laying fibre in provinces 1, 2 and Bagmati Province under the first phase, has completed installing the optical fibre in these areas.

As per the agreement, the NT has to install fibre along 2,083 kilometres in three provinces. Of them, it has laid fibre along 1,013 kilometres in five years.

The NTA had given the responsibility to install fibre in 6,235 kilometres of the mid-hill highway to three separate companies dividing the project into three sections.

NTA had signed an agreement with Nepal Telecom on September 28, 2012, in order to lay the fibre from eastern Nepal to Gorkha within two years under the first section.

However, installation of optical fibre has not begun in 2,160 kilometres in 21 districts of Gandaki and Lumbini provinces under Section-2. The expansion work has been halted as a case has been filed against it in the Supreme Court, it has been said.