Forty-five percent of the proposed Koshi Corridor Highway, which connects the eastern hill districts with Tarai, has been completed, according to the Koshi Corridor Project officials.

The construction works of the road have gained momentum of late, the officials said. The double-lane road starts from Ganesh Chowk in Panchthar and ends at Chatara of Sunsari.

The Koshi Corridor Highway is the shortest route connecting people of Panchthar, Taplejung, Terhathum and Dhankuta to cities like Biratnagar and to other parts of the country. Abhiman Mulmi, chief of the project, said that the project has made satisfactory progress so far.

According to preliminary survey, the distance covered by the road from Panchthar to Sunsari is 148 kilometres.

“One hundred and thirty kilometres of road track has been opened now. Workers are constructing around 18 kilometres of the remaining road section at Majhitar, Chatara Mulghat and Nawa including other areas,” Mulmi said.

Project officials said that the highway will be open for operation soon if the construction work continues unobstructed. Works on roadside drains and walls are also ongoing. The Rs 6.15 billion project plans to gravel the road in the first phase.

The construction works of the highway have been divided into seven different road sections. On February, contractor companies had started construction works on five road sections, whereas contractors received contracts of the two remaining road sections in April. The contractors have to complete the construction works within 30 months of the contract period.