Butwal, July 22: The Butwal–Gorusinghe Road Expansion Project has achieved 28 percent physical progress after one year and eight months of construction, with project officials expressing confidence that the work can be completed on schedule despite monsoon-related setbacks.
Construction began on October 20, 2024, and is scheduled for completion by October 19, 2027. According to the Butwal Project Office, 66 of the 166 planned culverts have been completed, while five of the 30 bridges under the project are in the final stage of construction.
Project officials said progress has been affected by the monsoon, which has caused shortages of soil and riverbed construction materials, as well as a lack of skilled technicians and labourers. Project Chief Kushalata Neupane said construction also slowed during major festivals such as Dashain and Tihar due to labour shortages but is expected to gain momentum after the monsoon season ends.
With 16 months remaining before the completion deadline, the project office said the road is expected to be completed on time if no major unforeseen delays occur. The project is being implemented by Shaanxi Construction Engineering Group Corporation of China in a joint venture with Ashish Nirman Sewa JV of Chitwan at a contract cost of Rs. 13.56 billion.
The 50-kilometre road has been divided into two sections. Lot 1 covers the 25-kilometre Butwal–Saljhandi stretch at an estimated cost of Rs. 7.89 billion, while Lot 2 covers the 25-kilometre Saljhandi–Gorusinghe section in Kapilvastu at a cost of Rs. 5.66 billion.
The project office said plans to asphalt several kilometres of road in the Kapilvastu section this year have been delayed because of shortages of construction materials. Once completed, the upgraded highway will have a width of 50 metres in urban areas, 37.4 metres in semi-urban areas, and 24 metres through forest sections.
The project also includes modern road safety and environmental features, including six flyovers, 12 pedestrian underpasses, 11 overhead pedestrian bridges, and 18 wildlife underpasses to improve traffic safety and facilitate wildlife movement. Around 7,000 trees were felled during the road expansion.
Neupane said construction is being carried out in a manner that minimises traffic disruption, unlike the prolonged congestion experienced during the Butwal–Narayangadh road expansion. Instead of excavating the existing roadway first, roadside structures are being completed before work begins on the main carriageway to keep traffic flowing as smoothly as possible. #nepal
