Road upgrading activities on Prithvi Highway halted during monsoon

TANAHU: Road upgrading activities related to the Muglin-Pokhara road expansion along the Prithvi Highway will be suspended during the rainy season.

Blacktopping and road expansion tasks have been paused, with priority given to the construction of drainage systems, culverts, and walls, according to Bishnu Pandey, Engineer of the east section under the Muglin-Pokhara Road Project.

Various activities, including planting saplings to prevent soil erosion in landslide-prone areas, are currently underway, he added.

Engineer Pandey mentioned, “Landslides and floods might obstruct the work. Therefore, construction activities are being carried out with precautions during the daytime to prevent possible losses of lives and property due to landslides.”

“So far, 62 percent progress has been achieved in the east section and 28 percent in the west section. Out of the 80-kilometer road section, approximately 53 kilometers—33 in the east section and 20 in the west section—have already been blacktopped,” he shared.

Pandey further stated that the road expansion task is divided into two sections—41.7 kilometers towards the east section and 38.88 kilometers towards the west section.

Engineer of the west section, Narayan Poudel, said other activities are ongoing while blacktopping tasks are stopped, as the monsoon season is active from mid-June to mid-October.

According to the Road Project office, the highway upgrade to a four-lane road is being carried out with loan assistance from the Asian Development Bank.

The east section is being constructed at a cost of Rs 621 billion, while the west section is estimated at Rs 740 billion, the project office added.