(This story originally appeared in on Aug 31, 2015)

NEW DELHI: With the government focused on strengthening relations with Nepal and to improve trade and communication, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked the road transport ministry to expedite widening and completion of ongoing works. Sources said during his last review meeting on infrastructure, PM Modi had asked the ministry to see whether multimodal hubs can be developed on the major stretches, such as Raxaul along NH-28A.Officials said that a team is likely to visit the site soon for a detailed assessment to develop such a facility. Raxaul has a railway junction and is well connected by roads. This border town between India and Nepal witnesses heavy movement of cargo and people throughout the year. It is also the major trade corridor.Ministry sources said, the 70km stretch from Raxaul, on Indo-Nepal border, to Piprakothi on the East-West corridor in Bihar is being widened to two-lanes with paved shoulder by NHAI at a cost of Rs 375 crore. This will be a toll road and the project is likely to be completed by next March.India has a 1,751km long border with Nepal which is shared by Uttarakhand , Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim. Since road link between the two countries is vital for promotion of trade and tourism, plans were prepared to develop all the highways.While work on Sonbarsa to Muzaffarnagar has almost completed and tolling has started, the proposal to widen the Jogbani-Forbesganj (NH- 57A) has been delayed as the earlier contract was terminated in January 2014. Now the ministry proposes to develop it with 100 per cent government funding of Rs 258 crore.