KATHMANDU: The Pokhara-Muglin road, a major section of the Prithvi Highway and the primary lifeline of Gandaki Province, is nearing completion after years of construction delays.
According to project officials, the upgraded four-lane road will be fully operational by this winter if there are no further obstacles.
The road expansion began in April 2021 and aims to ease transportation between Pokhara, Kathmandu, Narayangadh, and surrounding areas.
The eastern section (Jamune-Muglin), constructed by China Communication Construction Company under a Rs 6.21 billion contract, has achieved 82.95 percent physical progress, with only three kilometers left to be blacktopped.
Bishnu Prasad Pandey, Engineer and Information Officer, said that two kilometers in Damauli and Dumre Bazaar have been expanded into six lanes, while the rest remains four lanes.
Pandey said 17 concrete bridges in the eastern section have been completed, while the construction of a ‘signature’ bridge over the Madi River is underway under a separate contract. He cited delays caused by the Covid pandemic but noted that work has recently accelerated.
Meanwhile, the western section (Pokhara-Jamune) has seen 35.5 kilometers of one-way blacktop completed out of 38.88 kilometers, said Project Chief Krishna Bahadur Kunwar. He said that one-way blacktopping is expected to finish by the first week of Jestha, with two-way blacktopping on 30 kilometers targeted for completion by Asar-end.
Work in the western section, contracted to China’s Yanhui Kaiyuan Highway and Bridge Construction at a cost of Rs 7.4 billion, began in August 2021.
Kunwar said the delay in removing around 400 electricity poles has slowed progress, but blacktopping works are being expedited. After completion, sidewalks and road safety structures will be installed.
Of the planned 12 bridges in the western section, 10 have been completed, while construction continues in Bijaypur (Kaski) and Sheratar (Tanahun). A separate cable-stayed ‘signature’ bridge over the Seti River in Pokhara is 44.66 percent complete. The Rs 940 million project, excluding VAT, is being built by Rasuwa Construction.
The road expansion includes six-lane stretches across 18.5 km in urban areas and four lanes elsewhere.
The 81-km Pokhara-Muglin road project, funded through an Asian Development Bank loan, is expected to boost economic and tourism activities in Gandaki Province.
Pokhara Metropolitan City-10 Ward Chairman Rajesh Gurung said the removal of structures violating road standards has widened key squares such as Amarsingh Chowk, Arghaun Chowk, Buddha Chowk, and Tal Chowk.
Gurung warned that wider roads could increase the risk of accidents and emphasized the need for public awareness campaigns on road safety.
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