Fast track construction makes 37% progress

By Anil Parajuli,Hetauda, Jan. 18: The Kathmandu–Tarai–Madhes Fast Track, a national pride project under the management of the Nepal Army, has achieved 37 per cent progress in seven years. 

According to Brigadier General Gaurav Kumar KC, spokesperson for the Nepali Army, the physical progress of the project as of mid-January of the current fiscal year 2024/25 stands at 37.60 per cent, with financial progress, including mobilisation of the project at 39.56 per cent.

According to the project’s overall work plan, 12 of the 13 construction packages, packages No, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8(a), 8(b), 9(a), 9(b), and 10, are currently under construction and implementation phase. 

According to the Nepali Army, the procurement process for Package No. 11, covering the Khokana–Bungamati section, is yet to begin due to unresolved land acquisition issues.

The fast track includes seven tunnels with a total length of 10.979 km, where construction work is progressing rapidly. 

According to the Nepali Army, in Package No. 1, the Mahadevtar Tunnel has a total length of 3,355 metres.

Out of this, 2,228 metres (68 per cent) of the right tunnel and 2,020 metres (61 per cent) of the left tunnel have been excavated.

In Package No. 2, the Dhedre Tunnel, with a total length of 1,691 metres, has achieved breakthroughs in both the left tunnel (1,728 metres) and the right tunnel (1,653 metres) heading towards Kathmandu from Nijgadh. 

Under package 3, the twin tunnels located at Lendanda in Bakaiya and Gadhi Rural Municipalities of Makwanpur have made a significant progress. 

The 1,623-metre-long tunnel heading from Nijgadh to Kathmandu was completed in the Nepali month of Ashad, while the 1,633-meter-long tunnel heading from Kathmandu to Nijgadh was completed in Jestha.

Package No. 4, which includes the 1,000-metre Deuichaur Tunnel, and Package No. 5, which comprises the 390-metre Sisautar Tunnel, are currently in the design phase following procurement agreements.

Meanwhile, the portal preparation work for the 2,250-metre Chandram Bhir Tunnel in Package No. 6 is underway, and the 583-metre Mauri Bhir Tunnel in Package No. 7 is in the design phase after procurement agreements.

Of the 89 planned bridges, procurement agreements for the construction of 85 bridges have been signed. So far, the construction of five bridges in the Rajdamar area of Bakaiya, Makwanpur, has been completed. 

Foundation work is underway for various types of bridges at other locations, with heights reaching up to 81 meters.

Land Acquisition 

As per the approved Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Supplementary Environmental Impact Assessment (SEIA), approximately 17,651 ropanis of land is required for the construction of the project. Out of this, 5,487 ropani of land belongs to private ownership.

So far, notices have been issued for the acquisition of 5,204 ropanis of private land, out of which 4,818 ropanis have been  acquired. 

Among the remaining land to be acquired, the price of 203 ropanis in the Khokana-Bungamati section has been determined, but compensation is yet to be distributed. 

Additionally, the valuation of 165 ropanis is still pending, bringing the total remaining land to approximately 368 ropanis. 

Furthermore, 16 ropanis remain to be acquired in the Makwanpur district and four ropanis in the Kathmandu district.

The Nepal Army has reported the cutting of 36,179 trees, and in compensation, 705,552 saplings have been planted. 

It has been stated that additional land acquisition and tree felling outside the predetermined right-of-way have been approved as per the supplementary Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), in line with adjustments and modifications made during construction and revised design alignments.

According to the supplementary Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, land acquisition and tree felling approvals for the Mahadevtar, Dhedre and Lendanda sections (from 26 km to 35 km) and the Rajdamar, Bagdev and Nijgadh sections (from 49 km to 70 km) were obtained on December 28, 2023.  

The Nepali Army has reported that the tree-cutting has been completed and the process of transferring the land is currently underway.

The supplementary Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the Ranisera and Budune sections of the expressway (from 35 km to 49 km) was approved by a ministerial-level decision of the Ministry of Forests and Environment on April 19, 2024.

The process for tree cutting and land usage rights approval is currently underway. Construction work such as sub-base preparation, bio-engineering, roadside structures, wall construction and service roads is progressing rapidly.

Similarly, as per the Nepal Government’s Cabinet decision on September 5, 2024, under Subsection (10) of Section 42 of the Forest Act, 2076, approval was granted to use a total of 51.871 hectares of national forest land in Makwanpurgadhi Rural Municipality-1, Hetauda Sub-metropolitan City-18 and Bakaiya Rural Municipality-5 in Makwanpur district. 

The approval also included the felling of 27,748 trees/poles of various species. So far, 4,225 trees have been cut.

The Kathmandu-Terai-Madhes Fast Track, spanning 70.977 kilometers, has its starting point in Khokana and its endpoint in Nijgadh, Bara. 

Initially, the project was assigned to the Nepali Army in 2017 by the government under the then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ with a four-year completion target. 

The project, initially targeted for completion by 2023/24, had its deadline extended to 2027 after it became evident that the original timeline could not be met. 

Initially estimated to be completed with an investment of Rs.  175 billion, the cost has now escalated to Rs. 211.93 billion.

The project involves six Chinese companies collaborating with Nepali construction firms. 

Once completed, the fast track is expected to reduce transportation time from Terai to Kathmandu by four hours and save over Rs. 50 billion annually in transportation costs.