KATHMANDU: The Kathmandu Ring Road Improvement Project under the Department of Roads has urged the Chinese government to move ahead with phase II of the project amid unresolved compensation dispute in Maharajgunj area.
The project requested the Chinese government to move ahead with phase II though the 240-meter section of the Maharajgunj area on the Ring Road has not been cleared due to a prolonged compensation dispute.
Earlier, the government’s request to start the expansion of Kalanki-Maharajgunj-Dhobikhola section of the Ring Road met the Chinese side’s clarification that the site was not fully clear. China has yet to mobilize technical and construction teams for phase II of the Ring Road Improvement Project.
According to Kuber Nepali, head of the Ring Road Expansion Project, the project pressed to move ahead even if the dispute over the houses at Maharajgunj Chowk and religious heritage at Swayambhu area is not resolved immediately. He added other areas were mostly ‘clear’ for construction.
“Houses at Maharajgunj site will be fully cleared only after the government takes a specific decision to that effect,” Nepali said, adding, “We have requested to take forward construction before the government decision.”
This 11.6 km section of phase II is being expanded to eight lanes with the support of the Chinese government and China picks and deploys contractor as well. The Chinese contractor can start work only after the design made by China is approved. However, the engineering design developed by China has yet to be made public.
Nevertheless, the Chinese side has already sent the names of those in the technical team.
The project has been lingering for the past three years yet the right of the way is yet to be settled.
Comment