Road upgrading activities along Prithvi highway to be halted during monsoon

Tanahu, July 18: Road upgrading activities related to Muglin-Pokhara road expansion along Prithvi highway would be suspended during the rainy season.     

Blacktopping and road expansion task have been closed and priority has been given for the construction of drainage, culvert and wall, said Engineer of east section under Muglin-Pokhra Road Project, Bishnu Pandey.     

Different activities including planting saplings of different types of plants which might help to stop soil erosion at landslide prone areas are underway, he added.     

Engineer Pandey mentioned, "Landslide and flood might be obstructed. Construction activities are being carried out adopting precautions during day time keeping in mind the possible the losses of lives and property due to landslide."     

"Sixty-two per cent progress has been achieved in east section and 28 per cent in west section so far. Out of 80 kilometers road section, around 53 kilometers—33 in east section and 20 in west section, have already been blacktopped", he shared.     

Pandey further said road expansion task was underway by dividing the highway in two sections—41.7 kilometers towards east section and 38.88 kilometer towards west section.     

Engineer of West section of the project, Narayan Poudel, said other activities are being carried out by stopping blacktopping task as monsoon becomes active from mid-June to mid-October.     

According to Road Project office, the task to upgrade the highway into four-lane was underway with the loan assistance of the Asian Development Bank. The east section is being constructed at a cost of Rs 621 billion while west section at Rs 740 billion, added the project.(RSS)