December 2: An upper house panel has formed a sub-committee to study the impact of coronavirus on national pride projects.

The parliamentary committee as well as the National Planning Commission (NPC) have shown great concern after the big projects of the country failed to pick up pace. 

The National Concern and Coordination Committee of upper house has formed a sub-committee to study the impact of coronavirus on national pride projects while the vice chairman of the National Planning Commission Dr Pushpa Kandel has started field inspection.

Chairperson of the National Concern and Coordination Committee Dil Kumari Rawal Thapa informed that the sub-committee members will make a field visit to the project sites and hold discussions with stakeholders. Then the committee will issue a directive with recommendations to the government.

Some of the national pride projects that have failed to meet the meet the deadline include Melamchi Water Supply Project, Sikta Irrigation Project, Rani-Jamara Kularia and Babai Irrigation Project among others. Those projects have been facing problems of manpower shortage and transportation. 

Preliminary study suggests that the East-West Electric Railway has also been delayed due to coronavirus while other projects affected by the pandemic include the Mid-Hill Highway, North-South (Koshi) Highway, Kaligandaki Corridor, Karnali Highway and Postal Highway. The Kathmandu-Tarai Fast Track is also facing some problem in “cutting and filling”, states the preliminary study of NPC.

NPC Vice Chairperson Kandel informed that they will conduct a detailed study and inform the government about the current status of the projects.