KATHMANDU: A road safety audit has begun on the Muglin–Pokhara section of the Prithvi Highway, a key route connecting Pokhara with the federal capital Kathmandu, following a rise in road accidents.
According to Muglin–Pokhara Project Chief Krishna Bahadur Kunwar, the audit has been launched in response to increasing traffic volume and growing accident risks along the highway, which is currently undergoing an expansion and upgrading project.
He said the road expansion work is in its final stage, with blacktopping of the four-lane highway largely completed. “As the road expansion and upgrading project nears completion, we have initiated a safety audit to prioritize the safety of road users,” Kunwar informed.
During the audit, various safety aspects of the highway, including road curves, intersections, bridges, signboards, dividers, street lighting, pedestrian movement, and accident-prone locations, will be assessed, he added.
The project office stated that the safety audit is part of the government’s 100-point action plan aimed at promoting good governance.
The findings and recommendations of the audit will be implemented not only on the Muglin–Pokhara road but also on other highways across the country, officials said.
Based on the audit report, authorities will adopt additional safety measures where necessary, including traffic signage, guardrails, speed-control mechanisms, and public awareness programmes.
The Muglin–Pokhara Highway is one of the busiest road corridors in Nepal. However, ongoing construction work has caused difficulties for travellers due to dust, construction materials, pollution, and temporary structures along various sections of the road.
With the monsoon season approaching, concerns over landslides and road accidents have further increased, prompting the need for the safety audit, Kunwar said.
The western section of the Muglin–Pokhara Road Upgrading Project has been ongoing for five years. Despite multiple deadline extensions, the project remains incomplete. The section covers a 38.71-kilometre stretch from Jamune in Tanahun district to the Seti Bridge in Pokhara.
The project deadline was extended for the third time last December and is now set to expire on June 29 this year. Authorities said the project has achieved around 78 percent physical progress so far.
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