KATHMANDU: The long-awaited expansion of the Suryabinayak–Dhulikhel road section under the Araniko Highway has yet to be completed, with commuters and local residents continuing to face dust, mud, and traffic congestion.
The 16-kilometre road expansion project, which began three years ago, aims to upgrade the stretch into a six-lane roadway connecting Bhaktapur’s Suryabinayak to Kavrepalanchok’s Dhulikhel. Despite ongoing work, progress remains incomplete, causing daily inconvenience to travellers and businesses along the route.
The project has been divided into two sections—Suryabinayak–Sanga and Sanga–Dhulikhel. According to project officials, overall physical progress has reached around 70 percent, up from 67 percent a few months ago and around 50 percent earlier.
Construction work on the main carriageway, service lanes, drainage systems, bridges, culverts, and underpasses is currently underway. The underpass being built in the Sanga area has become one of the key components of the project, expected to ease traffic flow from the eastern entry point into Kathmandu Valley once completed.
However, the pace of construction has fallen short of expectations. Delays have been attributed to shortages of construction materials, rising costs, disruptions during the monsoon season, and delays in shifting electricity poles and drinking water pipelines.
The project had initially targeted completion within 36 months, but officials now acknowledge that meeting the deadline appears unlikely.
At present, construction is ongoing in areas including Suryabinayak, Jagati, Thimi, Nalinchowk, Sanga, and Banepa, where road blacktopping, drainage, and service lane works are being carried out simultaneously. While some sections have already been blacktopped, many stretches remain dug up, causing severe inconvenience to commuters.
Locals say dust pollution has increased health risks, while muddy conditions during rainfall and heavy dust during dry weather have made daily travel difficult.
Once completed, the upgraded road is expected to significantly improve connectivity between Kathmandu Valley and eastern Nepal, reducing travel time and easing traffic congestion on one of the country’s busiest routes used by thousands of vehicles daily.
The project office has stated that it aims to complete blacktopping in additional sections within the coming months. However, due to slow progress, traffic management challenges, and budget-related constraints, commuters are likely to continue facing difficulties for some time.
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