KP Oli inaugurates police HQ, road projects in Madesh Province

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Friday spent the day in Madesh Province, where he inaugurated newly completed infrastructure and laid foundation stones for major development projects in Dhanusha and Mahottari districts.

In Dhanusha, Oli laid the foundation stone for a 16-kilometre blacktopped road that will connect Manharpur, Kharihani, and Simarari along the Shahid Marg. The project is being built under the Provincial and Local Road Improvement Programme with joint funding from the World Bank and the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development of Madesh Province.

The ceremony was held at Gyanchok, Manharpur in Ward No. 17 of Janakpurdham Sub-metropolitan City. According to Santosh Kumar Yadav, an engineer at the Provincial Project Management Unit, the road will be 8 metres wide through rural settlements and 12 metres wide elsewhere. It will be constructed in two formats: Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) and Double Bituminous Surface Treatment (DBST).

The multi-year project has a total budget of Rs 650 million. A contract worth Rs 454.8 million has been signed with Ashish OSRC JV, Lalitpur, with a target of completing construction within two years. The project is expected to boost local connectivity and improve livelihoods in the region.

Later that day in Mahottari, the Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for another blacktopped road in Ward No. 3 of Sonma Rural Municipality. This road will form part of the Raghunathpur Bazaar–Sonma–Tarhari–Sundarpur section of the Postal Highway.

The 8.384-kilometre road will also be built under the Provincial and Local Road Improvement Programme with support from the Madesh Province Government, the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development, and World Bank loan assistance. With a budget of Rs 346.95 million, the project is scheduled for completion by March 2027. The construction contract, worth Rs 197.83 million including VAT, has been awarded to Dhukuchhu Nirman Company Pvt. Ltd. through competitive bidding.

In addition to the road projects, Prime Minister Oli inaugurated the newly completed administrative building of the Madesh Province Police in Janakpurdham. The Prime Minister said the new, modern facility would strengthen police service delivery and improve efficiency across the province.

Thanking everyone involved in the construction, Oli emphasised that effective governance and corruption-free administration are essential to make people feel the state’s presence. He raised concerns about uncollected customs revenue and cross-border smuggling, saying that the open border had been misused for illegal activities, including drug trafficking.

“The authorities must ensure that innocent people are not punished while criminals do not escape justice,” he said. Oli also pointed out delays in achieving the national vision of “Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali,” criticising those who, in his words, oppose the government without contributing to progress. He urged law enforcement to remain dedicated: “Do not act with the mindset of being chiefs, but serve as true protectors of the people.”

At the same event, Madesh Province Chief Minister Satish Kumar Singh highlighted the challenges faced by the province due to the absence of a dedicated provincial police force, which he said has affected revenue collection. He called for a comprehensive policy package, noting the province’s dry zone status, and urged Oli to fast-track the Sunkoshi-Marine Diversion Project.

Inspector General of Police Deepak Thapa chaired the programme, while Deputy Inspector General Uma Prasad Chaturvedi delivered the welcome speech.

The new provincial police headquarters, located in Ward No. 4 of Janakpurdham, was built by Shivalaya Subedi JV under a multi-year plan of the Ministry of Home, Communications, and Law of Madesh Province. Constructed at a cost of about Rs 231.43 million, the building features 68 rooms. Until now, the Madesh Province Police had been operating from rented premises, but officials believe the new building will greatly improve their capacity and services.