By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Dec. 9: Nepali Army Headquarters (NAHQ) said on Monday that it would complete the construction of Kathmandu-Madhes/Terai Fast Track Project (Expressway) by March, 2024.
Physical infrastructure progress in the Expressway, one of the national pride projects of the government, has reached just 6 per cent in two years after the project was handed over to the NA by the Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda-led government on August 11, 2017.
Although the final date the completion of the project was fixed for 2024, the NA has said that it would take the project works by developing a separate holistic plan or master plan to complete the project within the given four years terms after the government handed over the project to the NA.
Brigadier General and project chief Sharad Lal Shrestha, a regular press conference organised on Monday at the Army Headquarters, said that the NA was, however, committed to completing the project in the given timeframe of the government.
“By the coming next two weeks, the Project will develop and give the final shape to its holistic plan that will have several packages and progammes to complete the project in next four years,” the Project Chief said.
Although the DPR of the project was finalised taking some more time, works like finalising the tender processes and selecting the international project consultant will complete soon and after that there would be no problem to give pace to the project, Shrestha said.
According to Brigadier General Shrestha, 96 per cent of the project works, which are yet to be done, and the percentage of remaining works would increase after works on the tunnel and road ways begin,” Shrestha said.
The Fast Track Project has got Rs. 15 billion for this fiscal year and out of the total amount, the Project has spent Rs. 60 million in the first four months of the fiscal.
However, the government’s current fiscal year’s plan and policy programme and budget had provided five years’ term for the project.
Shrestha said that the project deadline (2024) was set as per the endorsed DPR of the project.
The Project office has estimated that it takes Rs. 175 billion, including VAT to complete the project. However, the real construction cost would stand at Rs. 155 billion as of the present inflation ratio of the market.
As per the recently endorsed DPR of the project, the alignment of the project has been changed in Khokana (the zero point area) to avert historical Sikali temple and other pilgrimage as per the concern of the locals.
As per the newly endorsed DPR, now the total length of the fast track will be 72.5 from earlier total length 76.2 km. The NA will construct 87 bridges and three tunnels (6.41 km) in different locations of the project site.
Among the total bridges, 16 will be of special kind, he said. The Expressway will be of four lanes with 50 metres right of way and 25 metres widenroad section in the hilly and 27 metres in the Terai region.
Similarly, three tunnels will be constructed at Mahadev Danda (3.355 km), Dhedre (1.630 km) and Lendanda (1.430km) of Makwanpur district.
The Expressway will be of Asian Highway Design Standard (Primary Class) with ‘A’level of service.
The DPR of the project was prepared by Soosung Egnineering & Cosnulting Form at a cost of Rs. 70.45 million.
The project will have three interchange sections in Khokana, Budune and Nijgadh of Bara district and three toll plazas in the same places. Similarly, there will be 12 passenger under passes (PUP), five vehicle under passes (VUP), one passenger over pass (POP) and four vehicle over passes (VOP). Following the completion of the road, it will take one hour two minutes to travel the highway.