The Netra Bikram Chand-led CPN Maoist has expressed serious concerns over the preparations to hand over the construction of the Kathmandu-Nijgadh Fast Track to Indian developers. The party has warned of strong protests if the government went ahead with the plan. Hundreds of CPN Maoist leaders and cadres rallied in the Capital on Sunday to protest the plan. “The government should construct the fast track with its own resources as the terms and conditions put forth by the Indian firms are against broader interests of the nation,” reads a statement issued by Chand.

Last month, the parliamentary Finance Committee had directed the government to build the 76km highway on its own. Kathmandu-Nijghad Fast Track, which is a National Pride project, has divided public opinion since the erstwhile government led by Sushil Koirala initiated the process to hand over the project to an Indian consortium of Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS) Transportation Networks, IL&FS Engineering and Construction, and Suryavir Infrastructure Construction. CPN Maoist leaders claimed that the country was sure to incur heavy losses if the government agreed to the firm's terms and conditions. As per the plan, the government would have to finance almost the entire cost (Rs75 billion of the estimated Rs98 billion) by itself, with a soft loan received from India. It is against the global practice of the developer generating the necessary resources.

The party claims that the proposed provision for compensation can be even more costly for the government in the long run. Under the proposed clause to ensure minimum revenue guarantee, the government would have to pay up to Rs15 billion a year if the traffic movement falls short. There has not been any progress in negotiations with the Indian companies after the Supreme Court issued an interim order in October last year asking the government to suspend its preparations.