Speed Up Highway Works

The East-West Highway passing from far east to far west Nepal provides a lifeline to the country's economy. When its construction started in 1961, the nation's development was nascent. Upon its completion, the transportation sector underwent a sea change. It was a visionary move to link the country and enhance mobility of people. The 1,028-kilometre highway has been crucial as thousands of people travel through it on daily basis, giving momentum to the business and tourism activities. The key transport infrastructure was built with the support of many friendly nations. However, the half-a-century old highway needed timely upgrading so that the commuters do not have to face hassles while heading to their destinations.  

In the budget speech for the fiscal year 2023-24, the government stated to accelerate the expansion of the East-West Highway (EWH) under the category of transport infrastructure. The foundation stone for the expansion of the Narayangadh-Butwal section was laid in 2019, but till date only 45 per cent of the expansion work is completed. A total of Rs. 31.02 billion has been allocated for the expansion and upgrading of EWH. The upgrading of Narayangadh-Butwal section started after the Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved loan assistance to Nepal for the project. Since then, the ADB has provided further loan assistance to upgrade several sections of the highway.

The widening work of the Butwal-Narayangadh section has been moving at a snail’s pace. The road expansion project was initiated about four years ago with a plan to complete the work in three years. The deadline for the expansion of the 6.8-km section from Pulchowk to Gondrang in Bharatpur, Chitwan, is being expanded for the second time, citing the lack of budget and land acquisition related compensation issues. The contract for the 6.8km section was awarded in 2020 with a deadline of two years. The first deadline extension by a year ended this month and the process to extend it further is underway. The physical progress of the project stands at 75 per cent for Bharatpur-Chitwan section.

The travelers are facing extreme difficulties due to the inordinate delays in the expansion works. The Butwal-Narayangadh road extension is in limbo, which raises questions on the competence of the concerned authorities. Given the importance of the highway, the government must nudge the concerned authorities to finish the expansion works in stipulated timeframe. It is not good to wait for decades for   proper upgrading and expansion. It covers six provinces but the part of highway falling into Sudurpashchim has not been upgraded yet. The condition of road infrastructure is in bad shape in far west so the initiative should be taken to this end without delay.

Nepal's track record of development works is not impressive in terms of timely completion. Many pride projects are not performing better, they are still under construction for decades. It is necessary to change the current style of works. Red tape, delay in budget allocation, problem in land acquisition and fraudulence of contractors are some important issues that impede the development works. The East-West Highway has played a critical role in all-round socio-economic development. So, the government should be serious about finishing the expansion works in time, thereby boosting transport sector, public mobility and economic activities.