Banking News – Minister for Infrastructure Development Sunil Lamsal has begun a week-long field inspection across Karnali Province to assess the region’s road network and infrastructure needs, with a focus on setting development priorities based on local demands.

As part of the inspection, Minister Lamsal arrived in Simkot, the headquarters of Humla District, on Monday after completing visits to Surkhet, Dailekh, Kalikot, Jumla, and Mugu along the Karnali Highway corridor.

During the tour, the Minister inspected the Karnali Highway, feeder roads, agricultural roads, bridges, drinking water projects, irrigation schemes, and school infrastructure. He also held consultations with local government representatives, road office officials, political leaders, contractors, and local residents to gather feedback on the region’s most pressing development needs.

Speaking during the visit, Minister Lamsal said the inspection was aimed at understanding the government’s development priorities for Karnali while documenting the concerns and expectations of local communities.

“We have collected valuable suggestions by listening directly to the real problems, needs, and priorities of the people of Karnali,” he said.

Local stakeholders urged the government to upgrade the Karnali Highway into a two-lane road, expand the road network, construct additional bridges, and prioritize investments in drinking water, telecommunications, irrigation, and school buildings.

The Minister said the field visit would help the government formulate short-, medium-, and long-term development plans based on the actual condition of infrastructure and the needs of local residents.

According to his personal secretary, Nirmal Gyawali, the Ministry is also reviewing the implementation progress of road projects that have already received budget allocations and assessing whether revisions are required.

During the visit, Minister Lamsal also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reopen the Federal Drinking Water and Sewerage Management Office in Jumla, which had previously been closed.

The inspection tour also included visits to Rara Lake in Mugu, the Guthichaur area in Jumla, and the Chandannath Temple.

According to the Minister’s Secretariat, Lamsal personally drove for much of the journey to gain first-hand knowledge of the condition of the Karnali Highway and prepare a more realistic roadmap for future road development in the region.