Six activists of the CPN-UML and the Rastriya Janamorcha were arrested for protesting during the inauguration of the Postal Highway on Thursday. Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Ramesh Lekhak and Indian Ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae jointly inaugurated the 62-km highway which is still under-construction in Kailali district.

The protesters waved black flags to Indian envoy as he arrived at the programme venue. The 18-km stretch that runs through the Basanta Bio-corridor in Kailali remains incomplete as right activists and conservationists have been opposing the construction of the road through the forest area. Although constructed works began in 2010 after the signing of a bilateral agreement in 2007, the project has failed to make progress due to negligence of the contractors. Minister Lekhak said the highway would benefit the Tarai districts in the Farwest. Stating that the bidding process for the 18-km road section had been completed, he assured that the dispute over road construction through Basanta Bio-corridor would also be settled soon.