Kathmandu: Amid a budget crunch, the government has reallocated funds to 25 major road projects across the country.
The Department of Roads redirected more than Rs 2.5 billion to 17 projects while reducing the budget of five others. Officials said the move was necessary to prevent key projects from stalling due to insufficient funding.
Most of the projects that received additional funds were pushed forward at the request of local representatives, lawmakers, ministers, and political leaders. These include programmes for local road bridges, constituency-level strategic roads, and local infrastructure works.
According to Prabhat Kumar Jha, Deputy Director General and Spokesperson for the Department of Roads, the funds were shifted away from projects with poor progress—those where contracts had not been awarded, tenders were lower than estimated, or contractors failed to start work. The money was instead reallocated to projects showing strong progress but struggling with funding shortages.
One of the largest beneficiaries was the Local Road Bridge Construction Programme, whose initial Rs 35.59 billion allocation was increased to Rs 46.34 billion after reallocation. The programme had spent nearly 90 percent of its funds last fiscal year.
Similarly, the Postal Highway (including bridges) received an additional Rs 39.55 billion, taking its total allocation to Rs 71.68 billion. The project had already utilized 97.32 percent of its budget in the last fiscal year.
The Constituency Strategic Road Project now has Rs 79.52 billion after reallocation, having spent 92.46 percent of its funds. The Alternative Highway Development Programme also gained an extra Rs 11.83 billion, with an expenditure rate of over 81 percent last year.
The North-South Highways (Karnali, Kaligandaki, and Koshi corridors) received an additional Rs 9.72 billion, raising the budget to Rs 53.13 billion, after using 96.72 percent of its allocation last fiscal year.
The Tunnel Road Development Programme saw one of the highest increases—its original Rs 8.14 billion allocation grew to Rs 25.25 billion, after spending 96.51 percent of its funds last year.
Other beneficiaries include the Tamor Corridor (Chatara-Mulghat-Majhitar-Dobhan-Olangchungola), which received an additional Rs 2.73 billion; the Kakrahawa–Rudrapur–Saljhandi–Sandhikharka–Dhorpatan Road, which received Rs 514 million more; the Road Improvement Project, which received Rs 447 million extra; and the Industrial Corridor Expansion Project, which received Rs 158 million. The Mahakali Bridge Construction Project also saw its budget increased to Rs 2.21 billion.
In total, nine projects received more than 20 percent above their original allocations, including the tunnel project, local road bridges, postal highway, Kakrahawa–Rudrapur road, Kanti Highway, constituency strategic roads, Mahakali Bridge, the Tamor Corridor, and the North-South Highways.
However, five projects faced budget cuts due to little or no progress. These include the Highway Upgrading and Rehabilitation Programme, Strategic Road Bridge and Bridge Maintenance Programme, Pushpalal (Mid-Hill) Highway, Regional Trade Corridor Expansion Project, and the Suryabinayak–Dhulikhel and Koteshwor–Baneshwor–Tripureshwor Roads.
For example, the Highway Upgrading and Rehabilitation Programme lost Rs 1.58 billion from its Rs 65.31 billion budget, while the Strategic Road Bridge and Maintenance Programme was cut by Rs 2.31 billion, leaving it with Rs 21.49 billion.
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