NAWALPARASI: The physical progress of the Narayangadh–Butwal road expansion project has reached 66.50%, according to project information officer Shiva Khanal.
Out of the total 113.53 kilometers of the road, blacktopping has been completed on 90.87 kilometers on one side.
Excluding the area occupied by bridges, 110.46 kilometers of the road need to be blacktopped. The remaining 3.07 kilometers are covered by bridges. Currently, vehicles can travel on 93.94 kilometers of blacktopped road, which is about 83% of the total length.
Khanal stated that the remaining work is mostly concentrated in the Daunne section.
Accordingly, the project has now focused its efforts in that area. The construction of culverts in Daunne is in its final phase, and road paving work is also underway. The work is being carried out with the goal of making travel through the Daunne stretch easier and quicker.
The road expansion project was initiated by China State Construction Corporation Ltd. after an agreement was signed on February 7, 2019, with a completion deadline of August 7, 2022. The 113-kilometer road was divided into two segments for the construction process.
Due to delays, the deadline was extended a second time until July 23, 2024, and more recently, a third extension was granted until July 24.
The project is being executed with financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the total cost for both segments is estimated at Rs 16.99 billion.
Of the total 113 kilometers, 70 kilometers will be four-lane, while 29 kilometers will feature a four-lane road with six-meter service lanes on both sides. The Daunne section will have a three-lane road covering 14 kilometers.
The delay in completion of this vital highway expansion has caused prolonged difficulties for travelers.
While the pace of work has recently improved and travel conditions have become somewhat more manageable, problems in the Daunne area remain. Even light rainfall continues to make roads slippery, often causing hours-long traffic jams.
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