Nepal Infrastructure 
KATHMANDU: The government has announced that it would formulate the Integrated National Transport Master Plan. Announcing the Common Minimum Program (CMP) of the government on Monday Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel said that the Plan would be prepared to develop transport infrastructure in a coordinated and integrated way.
“This Program will be the government’s policy to develop transport infrastructure as the foundation for economic development, the backbone of the supply system and services to the citizens,” said Poudel.
As per the Program, every district headquarters will be connected with the strategic road network; paved roads will be constructed within two years to connect the centers with all local units; national highways and strategic roads under construction will be completed within five years, except those that are not possible due to geographical difficulties; and all villages will be accessible by road within half an hour.
The Program also envisaged forming the Transport Management Authority to facilitate, monitor, and regulate the overall transport management system, develop the public transport system, implement a digital system in transport management, and make it mandatory to identify potential vehicle accident sites and roads where frequent vehicle accidents occur and prioritize the maintenance and improvement of such roads.
Similarly, the Program also covers plans to form a high-level task force to give necessary suggestions after conducting an in-depth investigation of the causes of road accidents that are becoming terrible.
“An integrated national transport master plan will be prepared to cover all plans for road transport, rail, waterways, and air,” Poudel added.
Developing Postal Highway, Mid-Hill Highway, and Madan Bhandari Highway, as well as road infrastructure of strategic importance connecting north-south with high priority and managing parking and resting areas with all the facilities along the highways are also in the Program.
