BP Highway reconstruction process begins

By Kedar Timalsina,Banepa, Apr. 5: The section of the BP Highway between Katunje and Barkhekhola, which was severely damaged by the flash flood in the Rosi River in September last year, will be reconstructed dividing it into in four segments. 

Of them, three sections will be rebuilt under the funding of the government of Nepal, while the Japanese government has been requested for support to rebuild the 

fourth section. 

The Division Road Office in Bhaktapur has already issued tenders for two of the three segments located in Kavrepalanchok district, and a notice has also been published for one segment in Sindhuli district. 

According to Senior Divisional Engineer Suman Yogesh, tenders have been invited for the reconstruction of the approximately 11-kilometre road section from Bhakunde Bensi to Chaurasi Bensi, and 8.5 kilometres from Dalabensi to Chaurasi Bensi in Kavrepalanchok. Another tender is invited for the 4-kilometre segment from Barkhekhola to Nepal Thok 

in Sindhuli district.

“A total budget assurance of Rs. 8.5 billion has been secured from the government for the reconstruction of the highway. Out of this, Rs. 7.5 billion has been allocated for the three sections in Kavrepalanchok district and Rs. 1 billion for the Sindhuli section,” according to  Yogesh.

Regarding the challenging and winding 5.5-kilometre segment from Barkhekhola to Dalabensi, discussions are going on with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which has also shown interest in conducting a field study and potentially undertaking the project. 

“Given the complexity of the terrain, new engineering solutions such as small tunnels and viaducts (elevated bridges) might be required, which is why we have not yet issued a public notice for this section,” Yogesh added. He also said that tunnels of around 500 metres could be constructed to straighten the sharp curves along this segment.

The target is to finalise contracts for the tendered segments by the first week of May. The reconstruction will follow the original track of the highway, expanding it into a minimum seven-metre-wide blacktopped intermediate lane, sufficient for two vehicles to pass simultaneously. 

Additionally, to protect it from future flooding, the road will be raised from below the riverbed level using RCC retaining walls, especially near the Rosi River, where the flooding caused significant damage.

According to Engineer Yogesh, the upgraded road between Bhakunde and Nepal Thok will be developed into a double-lane road from its current intermediate lane. With increasing traffic along the BP Highway, the need for a two-lane road has become more evident. Consequently, the Division Road Office in Bhaktapur has proposed similar upgrades for the Dulikhel-Bhakunde segment shortly. In its first phase, the office plans to develop a 28-kilometre stretch from Bhakunde to Nepal Thok into a two-lane road.

JICA is also conducting a feasibility study to construct a tunnel between Khurkot and Chiyabari in Sindhuli, which would help shorten the BP Highway.

Temporary road to be ready before monsoon 

In anticipation of the upcoming monsoon season and the potential impact on transportation, the Division Road Office in Bhaktapur has raised the height of the temporary road built along the flood-damaged areas of the BP Highway. Yogesh said that 37 heavy equipment units—including excavators, rollers, loaders, and tippers—have been deployed daily from the Division Offices in Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, and other locations for the ongoing maintenance work.

Yogesh said, “River flows are being diverted, and construction materials from the river are being used to elevate the road by three to seven metres to ensure smooth vehicular movements   during this monsoon.”

He informed that the elevation of the 8-kilometre temporary road, heavily damaged by the September floods, will be completed by mid-May 2025. Wire mesh reinforcements are also being installed in vulnerable and landslide-prone areas.

The Division Road Office assures that the ongoing temporary road construction project will be completed to withstand floods similar to those that swept away the road in September last year. In the event of a landslide or road blockage during this upcoming monsoon, the office plans to mobilise necessary equipment and manpower promptly. If certain sections of the highway become impassable, an alternative route via Bhakunde Bensi, Temal, Mechhepauwa, and Sindhuretar will be activated, Yogesh said.