KATHMANDU: The deadline for the expansion of the Narayanghat–Butwal section of the East-West Highway is being extended by one year, following prolonged delays in construction.
According to Chuda Raj Dhakal, Project Director at the Project Directorate (ADB) under the Department of Roads, the extension was approved after discussions with the construction company and project consultants concluded that the remaining major works, excluding finishing touches, could be completed within a year.
“The contractor had asked for more time, but both the company and consultants agreed that 90 percent of the work could be completed within a year. So, we are moving ahead with a one-year extension,” said Dhakal.
This is the third deadline extension for the eastern section of the highway, which is set to expire on July 23. As of now, the physical progress of the project stands at 69.3 percent.
Engineer Shiva Khanal, the information officer for the eastern section of the project, said that the Chinese contractor, China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd, is currently focusing its workforce in the Daunne area, where the road condition has caused major inconvenience to travelers. The area is now being concreted to ease travel.
Works underway include blacktopping in Chormara, bridge construction, upgrading two-lane sections to four lanes, and constructing road dividers. A total of 272 workers are currently engaged on the site.
While construction of small bridges along the section has been completed and opened to traffic, the building of larger bridges is still ongoing. At Sukha Khola in Danda, a major bridge has been completed but remains unused due to the pending construction of its approach roads.
“Work is ongoing on the bridge at Chormara. The bridge over Beldiya Khola will come into operation within a few days, and we are preparing to pour concrete at the Jayashree Khola bridge soon,” said Khanal. “Construction across the eastern section is now progressing at full pace.”
In Pulchowk, Gaindakot, a 100-meter stretch still remains to be blacktopped, which is expected to be completed within a month. Roughly seven kilometers of blacktopping, from Chormara and from Dumkibas to Daunne, are still pending.
Out of the 114-kilometer Narayanghat–Butwal highway, about 65 kilometers lie in the eastern section. Approximately 1.5 kilometers of that segment consists of bridges, with the remaining seven kilometers set to be blacktopped soon. Apart from Daunne, travel across the section is now relatively smooth.
Khanal noted that physical progress increased by around 20 kilometers over the past year. “At the end of the second extension, only 29 kilometers of road had been blacktopped. Now, as of the end of the last fiscal year, 56 kilometers have been completed,” he said.
The project contract was signed in February 2019 with a 42-month deadline. However, the Chinese contractor has repeatedly sought extensions, citing various issues.
According to the Department of Roads, the newly extended deadline will be the final one.
The Narayanghat–Butwal road expansion is divided into two sections with a combined budget of Rs 16.99 billion. The eastern section (Gaindakot–Daunne), spanning 65 kilometers, is estimated at Rs 9.13 billion, while the western section (Daunne–Butwal), covering 49 kilometers, is projected at Rs 7.86 billion.
The project is being implemented with 85 percent loan assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), with the remaining 15 percent funded by the government.
Comment