KATHMANDU: The Road Division Office in Bhaktapur has canceled the contract for the under-construction Dhulikhel-Khawa road section along the Araniko Highway.
The four-kilometer road expansion project, awarded to Gauri Parbati Nirman Sewa Pvt. Ltd., was terminated due to delays and unsatisfactory progress.
The contract, valued at Rs 201 million, was awarded on June 3, 2022, with a completion deadline of April 1, 2024. However, construction remained incomplete even 11 months past the deadline, leading to public complaints and parliamentary monitoring.
According to Suman Yogesh, head of the Road Division Office, the decision followed an unsatisfactory explanation from the contractor despite multiple requests for timely progress. The office now plans to reopen the contract within the next two weeks, adjusting for the 25% financial progress made so far.
The project aimed to expand the deteriorating road to 12 meters and blacktop it, utilizing a 20-centimeter-thick cement base to accommodate heavy goods vehicles. This is the first time such a technique was planned in Nepal. The road connects Nepal’s northern border with China via the Araniko Highway, serving as a critical trade route.
Due to construction delays, the road has been in poor condition for two years, leading to numerous accidents and inconvenience for travelers.
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