Over 7,000 trees cut down along Butwal-Gorusinghe road for upgradation

By Kapil Gyawali

Siddharthnagar, Mar. 23: The tree-cutting process along the Butwal-Gorusinghe road section has been completed to facilitate the road's upgradation. 

According to the Butwal-Gorusinghe Road Project, a total of 7,111 trees were cut down along the 50-kilometre stretch.

Following the completion of tree cutting along the roadsides in the Rupandehi and Kapilvastu districts, the trimming and transportation work is now in its final stage. 

Engineer Ashok Paudel from the project informed that 2 per cent progress has been made on the Rupandehi side and 2.6 per cent progress has been achieved on the Kapilvastu side. Similarly, the relocation of electric poles and the demolition of houses within the road's designated boundaries are underway.

Meanwhile, in areas where trees have been cut, bulldozers are currently working to widen the road as part of the expansion process. The project has also commenced the construction of permanent bridges along the section.

In total, 30 new concrete bridges will be constructed in this phase of the Butwal-Gorusinghe road upgrade. Besides this, 149 culverts are also planned for construction. Since around 15 kilometres of the 50-kilometre stretch passes through forested areas, 19 underpasses will be built to facilitate wildlife movement.

According to the project, the section will include six vehicle underpasses, 12 pedestrian underpasses and 11 overhead bridges.

Drawing lessons from the dust and smoke issues faced by locals during the Butwal-Narayanghat road expansion, the Butwal-Gorusinghe project plans to complete the construction of service lanes on both sides in market areas before dismantling the middle section.

The upgraded road will feature a six-lane highway with service lanes on both sides in busy market and residential areas. In areas with potential for urban development, the road will be 37 metres wide, while in urban zones, it will be 50 metres wide, including the service lanes.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had virtually inaugurated the project from Jitgadhi in Butwal on January 24, 2025.