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Although most of the construction work on the Kathmandu-Tarai-Madhes Expressway is progressing at a rapid pace, the work on the departure point has not begun yet. The dispute over the departure point of Khokana-Bungmati, mentioned in the initial Detailed Project Report (DPR), continues. The Nepali Army has not yet decided whether to settle the dispute over Khokana or start from a new location for the expressway being built.

The issue of heritage in Khokana Bungmati is also being raised by locals and heritage workers. The Khokana-Bungmati dispute is the one that comes to mind when the question of the expressway comes up. There is a dilemma over whether the departure point of this expressway, which is said to be 70.9 kilometers long, with 4.6 kilometers in Kathmandu, 9 kilometers in Lalitpur, 49.77 kilometers in Makawanpur and 7.6 kilometers in Bara district, will be Khokana-Bungmati or not. Locals are protesting against the construction of the expressway, saying that the natural beauty of Khokana will be destroyed if this road is built. Amidst the protests, the construction of the expressway in the area has not been able to move forward. The military officials involved in the construction seem to be worried about this issue.

The Nepali Army is preparing to amend the DPR prepared through this road. If the state itself cannot resolve the Khokana-Bungmati dispute, building the road from another location will increase both the length and time of the expressway. Even the locals are confused about whether the road will be built from the Khokana area or not. The Nepali Army, on the other hand, emphasizes that the problem should be resolved from the government level since politics is involved in the Khokana-Bungmati land dispute.

Nepali Army spokesperson Rajaram Basnet said, “Repeated talks and discussions are being held to reach an agreement in the disputed Khokana area. Construction work is underway in other places besides this area. During the construction of the expressway, a bridge is being built 82 meters above the Dharahara. 89 state-of-the-art bridges and 6 tunnels are being built. Many of the construction works that needed to be started have been completed.”

Prime Minister Sushila Karki, who visited the expressway on-site a few days ago, had also taken the Khokana dispute seriously and directed that it be resolved quickly. Prime Minister Karki emphasized that religious beliefs and cultural heritage should not be affected while moving forward with road infrastructure and development projects, and that if necessary, the delineation and zero point should be changed while building the expressway. She said that the concerns of the locals should be taken seriously and a solution should be found. 

In 2018, the government of Nepal handed over the responsibility of constructing this project to the Nepali Army. After only 45 percent of the work was completed in the eight years since it took over, questions have been raised about the Nepali Army itself. The army said, “Even though we took responsibility, the previous DPR did not work, it took 4 years to prepare the documents, prepare the DPR and get it approved. We started building the expressway in 2022.

During the construction of this road, the Nepali Army had cut down more than 54,000 trees. In return, more than 150,000 trees have been planted. During the construction of the road, work is being done to plant trees by installing modern technology on the walls of the mountains.

Nepali Army Project Chief Dharmendra Jha said, “The work of constructing the initial structures to be done in the first phase is almost complete. Out of 89 bridges, 85 bridges have been contracted and implemented. There are problems related to land acquisition in 4 bridges on the Khokana-Bungmati road section. Of the bridges under construction, the base structure of 54 bridges has been completed. Some structures of 34 bridges have been completed. Construction work of special nature bridges up to 82 meters high has been completed at 13 places.

According to the project, the work has progressed slowly due to DPR revisions, geographical complexity, land acquisition and delays in the contract process. As the problem has not been resolved yet in the Khokana-Bungmati section, the chances of the project being completed on time seem slim. However, Nepal Army spokesperson Basnet is confident that the expressway will be built on time

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) government has forgiven 267 Nepali prisoners on the occasion of the 54th National Day (Eid Al Etihad).

The government of Nepal has welcomed this as a humanitarian and friendly step and expressed its gratitude to the UAE government. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the decision to pardon was taken following the initiative of the Nepali Embassy in Abu Dhabi and a request made as per the instructions of the Ministry.

If there are no other legal cases or restrictions, the Nepali citizens will be able to return home after completing the necessary legal procedures.

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), in collaboration with the KOICA Alumni Association of Nepal (KAAN), organized a Departure Orientation Program for the 2025 Part II (January Intake) group of Master’s and Doctoral Scholarship Awardees at the KOICA Nepal Office on January 29. 

The orientation program provided essential information about their academic programs, host universities in Korea, Korean life and culture, departure procedures, and other practical aspects of studying abroad. 

Addressing the event, Choong Hee Choi, Deputy Country Director of the KOICA Nepal Office, congratulated the awardees and shared valuable insights to help them prepare for their academic journey in Korea.

To date, a total of 175 government officials have successfully completed their Master’s degree programs through KOICA’s Scholarship Program. 

In the current academic year, eight government officials have been awarded scholarships for the August and January intakes. Among them, two have been selected for Ph.D. programs in e-Government and Public Management, while the remaining six will pursue Master’s degrees in various disciplines.

In addition to long-term scholarships, KOICA continues to support Nepal through short-term capacity-building programs

In 2025, a total of 75 government officials from various ministries and departments participated in the capacity-building program focused on strengthening health emergency coordination and operational systems, enhancing e-learning skills of TVET instructors, improving post-harvest management of fruits and vegetables, and developing impact-based early flood warning systems in Nepal. 

All initiatives were formally requested by the Government of Nepal and implemented with KOICA’s technical support.

The Supreme Court (SC) has issued a directive order for the implementation of right to social justice at all layers of government- federal, provincial and local.

A full text of the directive order issued by a division bench of Justices Dr Manoj Kumar Sharma and Mahesh Sharma Paudel has been released recently. 

The order was, however, issued seven months back. 

The apex court has reminded the governments that it enforced citizen's right to social justice as enshrined in Article 42 of the Constitution of Nepal.

"Adopt constant and active engagement to translate the provisions in Article 42 of the Constitution in letter and spirit," asked the SC to all bodies under the federal, provincial and local governments. 

The order had come in response to a writ petition filed by Khajanti Mahto Nuniya from Phatuwa Bijaypur municipality of Rautahat district making defendants to the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Minister, the Parliament Secretariat and the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration.

Article 42 of the Constitution has explicitly mentioned the rights to the marginalized communities which are socioeconomically and educationally backward. Such groups are women, Dalit, indigenous, Madhesi, Tharu, Muslim, minorities, people with disabilities, sexual and gender minorities and the oppressed ones. 

In order for the protection, elevation and empowerment of such communities, the State is obliged to provide education, shelter, health, foods and social securities. They deserve special opportunities to live a dignified life, the SC underlined in the order.