Bahuguna for Kathmandu-Dehradun Air link, pledges suspension bridge

NEW DELHI : In quick response to a request made by visiting former prime minister of Nepal, Sher Bahadur Deuba, the Chief Minister (CM) of Uttarakhand State of India, Bijay Bahuguna, has pledged to construct a suspension bridge from Purnagiri to Parshuram area in Dadeldhura district, Nepal. The proposal was made during Deuba´s meeting with the CM in Dehradun, Uttarakhand on Wednesday. Deuba had reached Dehradun as part of his six-day visit to India which started on June 9. "The meeting was very positive as the CM has agreed to the proposal to construct the suspension bridge," Deuba´s spouse, Dr Arzu Rana Deuba, told Republica over the phone. She, along with senior Nepali Congress leader Bimalendra Nidhi, accompanied Deuba to Dehradun and were present at the meeting. In another significant move, Bahuguna also proposed a direct air link between Dehradun and Kathmandu, which it is believed will bring down travel time between Uttarakhand and Kathmandu significantly. 

Dehradun is the state capital of Uttarakhand, a state which borders Mahakali zone in the Far-Western Region of Nepal on its eastern side. The distance between Dehradun and Kathmandu is 1,080 km and if an air link is established the travel time will be little more than an hour. As per India´s Census of 2001, there is a Nepali speaking population of about 600,000 in Uttarakhand. The State shares a 276 km-long border with Nepal. Deuba´s desire to visit Tehri Dam in Dehradun was foiled by weather conditions. But he was briefed on the project and the functioning of the high-dam. Deuba choose to visit Dehradun as his constituency, Dadeldhura, shares a border with Uttarakhand. 

Deuba also visited some industrial areas in Dehradun and later held an interaction with the large Nepali community there. "He (Deuba) listened to the problems of the Nepali people and has requested them to keep Nepal´s reputation flying high," Arzu Deuba added. Deuba returned to the Indian capital on Wednesday and is scheduled to hold further consultations with some leaders in New Delhi on Thursday, including with leaders of the opposition BJP. He is also scheduled to hold a separate meeting with Commerce Minister Anand Sharma. Sharma was present during Deuba´s meeting with United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Monday. Deuba is to return to Kathmandu on Friday.