Govt extends deadline of Narayangadh-Butwal road project

BY BOM LAL GIRI

Nawalpur, Aug. 4: The government has extended the deadline for the Narayangadh-Butwal road expansion project for the fourth time, granting the Chinese contractor, China State Engineering Corporation Pvt. Ltd., one more year to complete the work.

According to Engineer Shiva Khanal, information officer at the project’s eastern section office, the deadline for the eastern section (Gaindakot to Daunne) has been extended until July 23, 2026, and for the western section (Daunne to Butwal) until July 21, 2026. 

Although the contractor requested 18 more months, an agreement was reached to complete 90 per cent of the work within one year. The third deadline had expired on July 24 this year, but the process of obtaining the departmental approval delayed the formal extension letter, which was issued only on Sunday, Khanal said.

Engineer Rakesh Jha from the contractor company said that physical progress had reached 70 per cent by the end of the third extension. The 113-kilometre road has been divided into two segments to facilitate the work. By the end of June, 100 km of one lane was blacktopped, while both lanes were completed on 80 km.

Work on Daunne, considered the most challenging stretch, has accelerated in recent weeks due to low rainfall. Paving is planned for 4 km on the eastern section and 3 km on the western section, with 800 metres already paved on the east and 1.3 km on the west. 

Because of the steep slopes, priority is being given to durable pavement in this section. About 3 km of the 14-km Daunne segment has already been blacktopped on the western side. The project office said the Daunne section is expected to be fully paved before the upcoming Dashain festival.

The Narayangadh-Butwal highway is being widened to six lanes in market areas, four lanes through forest areas, and three lanes in Daunne under a Rs. 17 billion contract with the Chinese firm.