Work on Narayanghat-Butwal Road resumes

NAWALPUR: The work on the long-delayed Narayanghat-Butwal Road Expansion Project has resumed – four months after the project received a contract extension.

Initially set for completion by July 2022, the project’s deadline has already been extended twice. The latest extension expired in July 2023. Although the government extended the deadline by a year in July, the contractor spent four months doing nothing and returned to the project site only recently.

The contractor resumed work in late November, citing delays caused by monsoon rains and the festive season. According to Engineer Shiva Khanal, the Information Officer for the Eastern Section of the project, 323 workers are currently engaged in construction activities. “Work is ongoing for the past 13 days,” said Khanal. “Works like sub-base and base preparation, building approach roads to new bridges, culvert construction, and building stone walls are ongoing.”

Of the 16 bridges requiring approach roads, work has begun on nine, while works on the remaining seven will begin soon, he added.

According to Khanal, the construction of 181 of the 232 planned culverts has been completed, while work is ongoing on the remaining 14.

Likewise, stone walls are being erected at nine locations, while old asphalt roads in areas like Gaindakot, Devchuli, and Madhyabindu municipalities are being replaced.

“Our efforts are focused on expediting the project,” said Khanal. “The contractor is increasing manpower and machinery to complete the project at the earliest.”

Of the 65 kilometers in the eastern section (Gaindakot-Daunne), 3

5 kilometers have been blacktopped. The physical progress on the eastern section stands at 53.15%, with the contractor targeting an additional 3.18% by December. Khanal said the project office is constructing a sub-surface drain near the Chormara forests in Madhyabindu Municipality to address challenges like water seepage.

The Narayanghat-Butwal road spans 114 kilometers and is divided into two sections: Gaindakot-Daunne (65 km) and Daunne-Butwal (49 km).

The government signed a contract with China State Construction Engineering Corporation Limited in 2019, giving the contractor until July 2022 to complete the road expansion works.

(Translated from RSS)