By Prem Adhikari, Pashupati Nagar (Ilam), June 17: Construction work of a tourist park at Tumling in Ilam district has resumed from Wednesday in the initiative of the locals.

Indian border security, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), has been obstructing the work since it was started two months ago although the park construction site is 500 meters into Nepal from the no man's land at the border between Nepal and India.

The park construction has been started by a user's group in the initiative of Jit Bahadur Rai, chair of Maijogmai Rural Municipality. Tumling, the park construction location, lies in ward number 2 of the Maijogmai RM in Ilam district.

The park building was started with the investment from State 1 government and it was to be completed mid-July.

Following the obstacles from the Indian SSB, Maijogmai Rural Municipality had requested the district administration, armed police force in Ilam, Seema Surakshya Bal Pashupatinagar and border administration to take step for resuming the construction work, but to no avail.

Maijogmai RM chair Rai said he took initiative to resume construction as the concerned authorities ignored their repeated requests.

Rai, who reached the construction site along with 20 other locals including members of the user's group, said the work was resumed after holding discussion with the Indian SSB.

A team of the Indian SSB from Manebhanjyang in India had reached Tumling for discussion when the locals said that the park construction site was Nepali territory and that they would not tolerate if the SSB continued with obstruction. The Indian SSB has been demanding a letter from Nepali authority to build the park there whereas the locals said they would resist if the SSB obstructed the construction of the park again.

The Indian SSB has set up security posts encroaching no man's land and has been creating obstacles at many development works in the area saying the border was not clear in as long area as 52 kilometers in the district.