Pokhara, Sept 10: The expansion and upgrading of the highway connecting the tourist capital Pokhara have witnessed very slow progress.
Project Engineer Narayan Paudel informed that 30% physical progress has been made so far in the western (Pokhara-Jamune) section of the Pokhara-Muglin road project. The work in that section started in Bhadra 2078 BS or three years back.
Engineer Paudel mentioned that when the initial three-year contract period ended, it was extended for an additional 101 days due to less than half of the work being completed. The Chinese construction company Anhui Kaiyuan Highway and Bridge Construction Company has been tasked with the construction of the western section at a cost of Rs 7.44 billion.
“The work on the western section began six months after the eastern section,” he stated. “There is more urban area on the west side, and the road expansion was delayed due to difficulties managing roadside structures like houses, electricity poles, and water supply infrastructure within the road’s jurisdiction.”
Engineer Paudel reported that out of the 38.88 km distance of the western section, 21 km of the road has been blacktopped in two lane, with four km of it being four-lane blacktopped. He also mentioned that the construction of infrastructure such as bridges, culverts, and drains is in progress. Nine out of the 12 road bridges in the western section are in the final stages of construction, and the work of removing houses and providing compensation within road standards is almost complete.
“The process of compensating for the remaining houses has also progressed, and work has not been interrupted due to delays in compensation,” Engineer Paudel added. “There are still some areas where electricity poles and water supply infrastructures need to be relocated.”
With the rainy season coming to an end, the project office has indicated that work will accelerate. The construction company has set a target of achieving 70 percent physical progress within the current fiscal year (2024/25). The western section includes areas such as Tharpu and Turture in Tanahun, lower Gagangouda in Kaski, and others. Engineer Paudel informed that half of the road from Tanahun’s Jamune to Pokhara’s Seti Bridge will be six-lane, while the other half will be four-lane. Additionally, 12 concrete bridges and 100 culverts are being constructed in the western section.
The Pokhara-Muglin road, with a total distance of 81 km, is being expanded and upgraded with the support of the Asian Development Bank.
Bishnu Prasad Pandey, the engineer and information officer of the eastern section, stated that the physical progress of the project’s eastern road section (Jamune-Muglin) has reached 66 percent. Out of the 17 small and large concrete bridges in that section, 14 have been completed, and three are under construction. Engineer Pandey mentioned that the ‘signature’ bridge in Madi is being built through a separate contract.
Despite some initial delays due to the Covid epidemic and other factors, work on the eastern section has been progressing at a faster pace recently. Engineer Pandey explained that infrastructure preparation work, including culverts, drains, and walls, is in full swing. The construction company China Communication Construction began work on the eastern section of 41.45 km in 2078 BS.
The project office stated that a six-lane road will be constructed in Damauli and Dumre Bazar of Tanahun in the eastern section, while a four-lane road will be built in the remaining section. The construction company has been awarded the contract for this section for Rs.6. 21 billion. Due to construction delays, the general public have been facing difficulties while traveling on the main road that passes through the provincial capital, Pokhara. The road becomes dusty in winter and causes traffic problems when it rains.
Following the road construction delays, tourism businessmen and others in Pokhara have been urging the government and related agencies to expedite the work. The lack of road improvements on the Pokhara-Muglin road is negatively impacting Pokhara and the surrounding tourism sector, according to complaints from tourism professionals in Pokhara. #Pokhara #road #highway #nepal #rss
