Expressway has achieved 38.26% physical progress: NA

KATHMANDU: The Kathmandu-Terai/Madhesh Expressway has achieved 38.26% physical progress and 39.84% financial progress so far.

During a press conference organized on the occasion of the 262nd Army Day, the Nepal Army, which is implementing the project, revealed that out of the seven tunnels planned under this project, spanning a total distance of 70.977 km, two have already achieved breakthrough, while two others are under construction.

Project Chief Kamalvikram Shah said that the design and preparatory work for the remaining three tunnels is currently underway. Acknowledging that the physical progress of the project has not met expectations due to various challenges, he assured that efforts are being made to complete the project as per the set targets.

The land acquisition dispute at the project’s starting point in Khokana of Lalitpur has not been resolved yet, the army said.

Once completed, this expressway, which connects the capital to the Tarai region via the shortest route, is expected to significantly reduce transportation costs for goods from Tarai to Kathmandu and bring transformative changes to the country’s overall economic development.

The expressway wich runs along the Bagmati River corridor is expected to reduce travel time from Kathmandu to the south of the country by 159 km. 

Shah said that the Nepal Army aims to complete the project by March 2027.