KATHMANDU: The government has announced that expansion of the main section of the Ring Road from Kalanki to the Dhobikhola bridge in Basundhara will begin in October. According to Department of Roads spokesperson Prabhat Kumar Jha, the project will move forward once China, the funding partner, provides final approval of the detailed design.
“Discussions with the Chinese survey team have concluded, the survey has been completed, and work is underway on the detailed design. The design will be finalized within a month, and by October we plan to secure approval in China and enter the tender process,” Jha told Khabarhub.
The 8.2-kilometer stretch was originally agreed upon in 2018 under a China-assisted project. Construction of the service lanes, however, is the responsibility of the Government of Nepal. Progress has been slow, with only about 50 percent of the lanes completed. Officials cite poor coordination among government agencies with infrastructure along the road as a major reason for delays.
The expanded road will be built to eight lanes, including four overhead bridges and an overpass at Machhapokhari. It will span 38.5 meters in width, featuring footpaths, four central lanes, service lanes, greenery, and space for electricity and internet cables.
This is the second phase of the Ring Road expansion. China completed the first phase, the 10.3-kilometer Koteshwar–Kalanki section, between 2012 and 2018.
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