ROLPA, June 11: Nepal Army has started breaking the rocky hills of Sirkyang which had been considered a major barrier to road connectivity to Thawang, the origin of the decade-long Maoist insurgency.
The road construction project was halted for five years after the assigned contractors failed to break the rocky hill despite numerous efforts. Later, the government mandated Nepal Army to break the rocky terrain with the help of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
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The project was aimed at connecting Sulichaur, Guranse, Powang, Fuliwan and Thawang road sections which is 55 km long.
A team of 48 soldiers from the Rolpa-based Khadka Dal Battalion has been deployed for the task. As informed by Rakesh Kumar Yadav, engineer of the Road Division Office, it is impossible to break the 300m tall rocky terrain of Sirkyang hill without IEDs.
“We are spending around Rs 3.5 million for it and we are hopeful that the track will be opened,” Yadav said.
He further said that the total amount of contract was Rs 12.8 million and Rs 6 million of it has already been spent for breaking the rocks.
“The workers have sped up the work in Thawang as well and after breaking the rocky terrain we are planning to complete the project before the end of this fiscal year,” added engineer Yadav.
These days, the team of Nepal Army, technicians of Road division and various contractors has been working day and night for the success of the project.
The locals had been demanding the resumption of the project for a long time. With the resumption of the project, the locals are hopeful that they will soon get to see vehicles plying the roads in their villages as well.
