Narayangarh-Butwal road section expansion sees sluggish progress

Madhyabindu (Nawalparasi), Oct 12: The eastern section of the Narayangarh-Butwal road expansion project has so far witnessed sluggish physical progress. The 64.42-km Gaindakot-Daunne road stretch under the Butwal-Narayangarh section along the East-West Highway has made only 41.17 percent physical progress. The contract for the road widening project was signed around five years ago on conditions that construction works will be completed in three years and the contractor company shall look after maintenance of the road.

However, the road expansion drive has not gained momentum as anticipated despite expansion of deadline for several times. Project’s eastern section manager Rakesh Jha shared that overall progress of the eastern section of the project has reached 41.17 percent. “Daily 595 workers, including technicians are working in the eastern section while 13 excavators, seven graders, 11 loaders, four cranes, 28 tippers, 10 water carrying tanks and five concrete-carrying vehicles are being regularly mobilized in the eastern section of the project”, he added.

Jha said construction works have been intensified in the field to meet the progress in the extended timeline. The project has also continued the task of blacktopping on the road section, he further shared. According to him, 16-km of the eastern section has been so far blacktopped.

“Taking into consideration the festivals coming closer, the task of repairing the broken road has also been taken ahead”, he informed. Information Officer and engineer at the eastern section of the project, Dhiraj Dhakal said tasks related to small bridges and sub-structure of 11 out of 12 large bridges on the eastern section have been completed. “In the eastern section, around 50 percent tasks related to relocation of electric poles have been completed”, he said.

The 115-km road project from the Narayani River of Gaindakot to Buwal was divided into two sections while signing the contract for expansion. The Chinese State Engineering Corporation was awarded the contract for the expansion project. The section ‘A’ includes 64.42-km road from Gaindakot to Daunne and section ‘B’ has 48.58-km from Daunne to Butwal.

The road expansion project is being implemented with 85 percent loan assurance of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). As per the design, the road will have six lane in settlement area, four lane in forest area and three lane in Daunne mountainous area. As informed, the government has invested 15 percent of the total costs of the project.