Highway Expansion

The East-West Highway (EWH) has been a lifeblood of Nepal's economy. When the construction of highway took off in 1972, the country's development was in fledging state. As its construction gathered steam, the impact it started having on people's life was truly phenomenal.  A dairy farmer in a far-flung village was suddenly able to get his milk to the key market of the district and even beyond for sale, and so was a vegetable farmer. Medical practitioners were able to reach out to the sick and those needing urgent medical attention, and so were vital medical supplies. This saved countless lives. 

For the first time, erecting electricity infrastructure became possible, dispelling the age of darkness and ushering in the new era of progress where every development brought with it countless possibilities.  All these and more were possible because people and goods could be moved through the highway. In many ways, its construction has been a boon for people of every walk of life. By injecting a dose of momentum to economic activities, it not only brought prosperity but also remarkably eased the daily hardships and struggles people had to go through. Not just that, the boon also laid the groundwork for critical sectors like health and education to thrive. Pupils could now study and aspire to become luminaries.  

Built with the financial assistance of several friendly nations, the strategic transport infrastructure is now around a half century old. While it very well served the people for decades, it needs to keep up to accommodate the explosive growth of vehicles in number. But as things stand, the road is decidedly narrow and riddled with giant potholes at many stretches, raising the risk of road accidents and creating hassles for commuters, and so calling for urgent upgrading and expansion. In a good news, the expansion of the Kakarbhitta- Laukahi section of the half-a-century old road has recently picked up pace. An agreement to that end was signed on October 19, 2023. But so far, the project has achieved 11 per cent physical progress and 6.55 per cent financial progress, suggesting a sluggish work progress. 

The only major road connecting the country's eastern and western borders through the southern plains and also with India, this highway essentially acts as the main artery for transportation within Nepal. Given this importance, we cannot afford to let the road expansion works get stalled in delays. Issues in felling trees, relocating electricity poles and cable network wires, transferring drinking water pipes, and even the acute shortage of soil are cited as the factors contributing to the delay. It goes without saying that the more delay it gets, the more costly the project becomes over time. 

The government needs to leap into action to sort these problems out and pave the way for the project to pick up new momentum. In all likelihoods, this is a matter of political will. Examples abound of problems, no matter how initially intractable they seem, finally got resolved with sufficient determination. Transportation significantly impacts socio-economic life by influencing access to jobs, education, healthcare, markets, and other essential services, ultimately shaping economic opportunities, social mobility, and quality of life. So, the government must take up the matter with utmost urgency to speed things up.