Hetauda

Hetauda (Nepali: हेटौडा) is a town in the Makwanpur District of the Narayani Zone in southern Nepal. It is also the administrative headquarters of the Makwanpur district. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 53,836 people living in 10,420 individual households.^[1] However, the population has skyrocketed since the 1991 census and it is a widely acknowledged fact that the city's population is much higher than the count commonly found on the internet. Wolfram alpha search engine presents the 2004 estimate of population to be about 85,000.^[2] Similar projection can also he found here.^[3]

It is 132 km from the capital Kathmandu via the old Tribhuvan Highway. There are now two alternate roads that are less than 80 km. They are, however, not black topped yet. The city is enclosed by three rivers, the Rapti to the west, the Samari to the north and the Karra to the south. It is one the important industrial regions of Nepal. The settlement started due to its location at Tribhuvan Highway, and later was the meeting point of another major national highway - East-West Highway.

Physiography

Hetauda is considered one of the cleanest and greenest cities in Nepal, although there is no official data to support this claim. Due to its geographical features and its climate, it has been a popular choice for people migrating from the northern hilly regions to the south, hence causing the population of increase every year. Hetauda is situated in a unique geographical structure called doon, which means that it has a geography like a valley. It is surrounded by hills: the Mahabharata range in the north and the Siwalik range in the south. The rivers Rapti, Samari, and Karra run through the city and flow southwest to meet Narayani, one of the bigger and popular rivers in the nation.

It is an hour's drive from the Nepalese border city of Birgunj, which is adjacent to its Indian counterpart, Raxaul. Both the existing highways to the capital city Kathmandu - Tribhuwan Highway and the East-West Highway, aka Mahendra Highway that trails the length of the nation - traverse through this city. With so many entry and exit points leading in and out of this town, Hetauda is set to grow into a commercial powerhouse if only the country realized its potential.

Economy

Hetauda is also known for its industries. Hetauda Industrial District (HID) is the one of the biggest industrial districts in the nation. Not only it houses some of the biggest industries in the nation, but also shelters the cottage and medium scale industries. However, due to the political events in the past ten years and present, HID is shrinking year after year. Industries have either moved to other countries or just shut down. Few of the most notable manufactures that have either been shut down or moved to a different country include Kodak, Hetauda Cement Factory, Hetauda Kapada Factory and a few others.

Hetauda is mostly a working-class residential town, and therefore a sizable portion of the population here are either employed by the industries or the government. Besides the industrial and governmental employment, individual entrepreneurship is another source of livelihood for the population which mostly tends to favor investment into transportation sector. Trucking is thus a popular business proposition as majority of goods plying to Kathmandu goes through this city. Recently, passenger service plying to Kathmandu using Indian Tata "Sumo" SUV's has taken hold in the city.

Tourist Attractions

Among the popular attractions of Hetauda is the unique Martyr Memorial Park that was constructed to honor the martyrs of Nepal, including the ones who lost their lives since the time of British colonial wars to the ones who overthrew the autocratic Panchayat system in 1989. The Park has become a tourist spot since its completion in 1994. The main attraction of the park are the sculptures of these martyrs that are sculpted on one big boulder. The sculpting of the faces was accomplished by the student volunteers of Nepal Lalit Campus. The park is mostly famous as a picnic spot among younger generations as there are not any alternatives in town other than the popular Nepalese custom of going on a picnic on the bank of a river. The park is considered by many as a popular escape from the hustle and bustle of the city life.

Similarly, Makwanpur Gadhi is another site east of the city, a fort of historic importance dating back to the unification process of Nepal. Prithvi Narayan Shah, the king that led the unification of the country into a greater Nepal, was married to the princess of Makawanpur whose father was a king of the Sen dynasty that ruled Makawanpur. Historians observe that this marriage, in fact, was a political strategy by King Prithvi Narayan Shah, who saw the strategic benefit of an alliance with Makwanpur to encircle Kathmandu Valley.

Transport

Hetauda's commercial prominence started with the construction of Tribhuvan Highway, the first highway built in the country. The eradication of malaria from its tropical forest paved the way for a settlement to grow. Its future depends on a second highway link that has been discussed for over a decade. The proposed link to Kathmandu through a series of tunnels will reduce the present length of 133 km via Tribhuwan Highway and 224 km via Mugling to a length of less than 60 km. Considering the need for a shorter route from Kathmandu to India and a transit point to sustain trade between the two fastest growing economies of India and China, the importance of Hetauda as a trade route is set to receive a big leap, if this proposed tunnel comes into existence. Recently, two shorter unpaved roads are being used for light vehicles to carry people. One can go through Fakhel Village to Pharping and proceed to Kathmandu, or in the event of its blockage, vehicles also go from Markhu and Sisneri villages towards Kathmandu. Black topping of Fakhel-Pharping and Madan Bhandari Road way (Sisneri) has completed.

Nearest airport from Hetauda is in Simara which is about 30 minutes drive from the city. Most major airlines provide service to the airport.

References

External links

• Hetauda
• [1]