BHADRAPUR: Around 38 percent physical progress has been achieved so far in the eastern section of the Kakarbhitta–Laukahi road expansion and upgrading project being constructed along the East–West Highway.
The 95-kilometer project, being implemented under the Project Directorate of the Department of Roads, has been divided into eastern and western sections. The eastern section covers the 45-kilometer stretch from Kakarbhitta to Sitapuri, where construction work has gained momentum in recent months.
According to the latest project details, the combined physical progress of the first, second and third packages under the eastern section has reached 37.78 percent. Although construction has accelerated recently, only around six months remain before the current contract period expires, making an extension necessary.
Project Chief Sunilbabu Pant said 16.5 kilometers of the road have been blacktopped so far. He added that contractors aim to complete blacktopping at a rate of 400 to 800 meters per day, depending on weather conditions.
“As the contractor has sufficient reserves of bitumen, there is a plan to blacktop an additional 15 kilometers before Dashain,” Pant said. “Although the monsoon has created some challenges, construction work is continuing.”
The eastern section is being upgraded by Everscon–Kalika JV. A contract worth Rs 10.694 billion was signed for upgrading the 45-kilometer Kakarbhitta–Sitapuri section. Construction began on February 2, 2024 and is scheduled for completion by February 1, 2027.
The project is financed through an 84.9 percent loan from the Asian Development Bank and 15.1 percent contribution from the Government of Nepal. Upon completion, the project will create a four-lane road system, with an approximately 50-meter-wide structure in urban areas, a three-meter-wide central divider, and service lanes on both sides.
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