January 17: Nine months after landing the much-hyped Kathmandu-Tarai Fast Track Project, the Nepalese Army (NA) has said that it will prepare the detailed project report (DPR) for the national pride project on its own. Earlier, the Nepalese Army had said it would procure the DPR already prepared by Indian company IL and FS, which was handed over the project before the army. However, NA said that it would carry out further study by hiring consultants and then prepare the DPR.

A cabinet meeting on May 4 had mandated the NA to complete the project within four years.

NA Spokesperson Brigadier General Gokul Bhandari said that they could not reach an agreement with the Indian company regarding procuring the DPR.

“The company quoted a different price for the DPR, which did not match our expectation. So, we decided not to procure the DPR,” said Brig Gen Bhandari, without revealing the prices.

The government had officially handed the project to the NA on August 11.

The NA had been studying the DPR prepared by the Indian company as it was almost certain to buy the same DPR.

Deputy Director of the project Surya Prasad Khanal informed that the NA will prepare the DPR after further study from consultants.  

The NA said in a press conference that it has already started construction works under the project from Nijgadh of Bara district from Tuesday, January 16. However, the major issue is the tunnel route, which needs further study from the technical team, NA officials said during the press meet.

The NA also informed that it will finish the work of blasting the way along 54 kilometer section of the project within the next nine months.