By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Oct. 7: The parliamentary committee on Tuesday demanded that the government should furnish reasons for extending the term of the Kathmandu-Terai-Madhes Expressway project by three years.
A meeting of the Development and Technology Committee under the House of Representatives directed the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers (OPMCM) to submit the reasons for extending the term of the national pride project by three years.
Announcing the decisions after discussing the progress of the project so far and the forthcoming action plan, committee chair Kalyani Kumari Khadka directed the government to present the grounds and reasons for the term extension.
She said, "The term of the Kathmandu-Terai-Madhes Expressway project has been extended for another three years and thus the committee urged the government to table reasons for extending the period."
The committee has also instructed the OPMCM to start the construction of the other projects by studying the economic capacity and resources of the country before starting any national pride project.
The directive issued by the committee states, "Before initiating any project, the committee directs the OPMCM to initiate projects of national pride only after assessing various aspects involved in the construction."
Similarly, the Kathmandu-Terai-Madhes Expressway project office located at the Army Headquarters was directed to submit a detailed report to the committee within 15 days as the international consultant company and contractors selected to complete the work on the Kathmandu-Terai-Madhes Expressway were blacklisted.
The committee has also directed the Kathmandu Terai Expressway project to fulfill the aspirations of the people to see the completion the project in time and maintain the reputation of the Nepali Army.
The committee has instructed the parties involved in the construction of the project to prepare quarterly progress report and annual action plan of the upcoming action plan and work accordingly and submit the report to the committee.
Similarly, the committee has instructed the expressway project and the Nepal Army to work in a transparent and credible manner stating that the people were raising questions about the works performed by the local contractors.
The committee has also directed the Ministry of Defence, Government of Nepal to submit the details of the status of other national priority projects under construction by the Nepali Army to the committee within seven days.