Araniko Highway expansion delayed as deadline nears

By Kedar Timalsina,Banepa, dec.1: The Araniko Highway’s Suryabinayak to Dhulikhel road expansion project, which was initially set to be completed in three years, is facing significant delays. 

With only a few days remaining until the contract deadline, only 50 per cent of the work has been completed. The government divided the 16-kilometre stretch of the Araniko Highway between Suryabinayak and Dhulikhel into two segments for the expansion project. Project Chief Superintendent Engineer (SUE), Bijay Mahato, confirmed that only 50 per cent of the work had been completed on the road extension, despite the nearing expiration of the contract.

 He explained that the stretch from Sanga to Dhulikhel (8.5 km) is 55 per cent complete, while the Suryabinayak to Sanga section (7.5 km) is 42 per cent finished. The contract for the Sanga to Dhulikhel stretch with Lama Construction is set to end on December 11, and the Suryabinayak to Sanga contract with Ashish Kumar Shrestha/Bandhan/Bhagwati JV will conclude at the end of Poush (mid-January).

Mahato added that Lama Construction, responsible for the Kavrepalanchowk section, has requested an extension of 18 months to complete the project.  The request is currently being evaluated, and the government will decide how much additional time is necessary, taking into account delays caused by the project office. 

He attributed delays to several factors, including the pending relocation of electrical poles in the Kavrepalanchowk area, unresolved land disputes along the Banepa section of the road, drainage issues, and the need to relocate water pipes.

Additionally, the difficulty in transporting construction materials due to traffic and road access issues in the Roshi area of Panauti, as well as other logistical challenges, has hindered the timely progress of the project.

Engineer Bishnu Prasad Khanal, responsible for the project, reported that about two kilometres of blacktop work has been completed in the Dhulikhel section, from the Dhulikhel B.P. Chowk to Bansghari, as well as the road from Pulbazar to Janagal, where one lane has been paved. 

He assured that work on the remaining stretches, including the road from Pulbazar to Janagal, would continue in the coming months. The government has set a target to complete all blacktopping work by the end of mid-July 2025) in the Kavrepalanchowk section, followed by the installation of road markings, streetlights, guardrails, and other infrastructure. 

The project is also focused on upgrading service lanes for traffic and removing the old tarmac in the Dhulikhel Bansghari area for the road construction. Despite these efforts, the project has faced substantial delays due to inadequate budget allocation by the government. In the current fiscal year, only Rs. 60 million has been allocated for road extension, and Rs. 10 million for bridge construction, significantly lower than the estimated requirement of Rs. 4 billion to complete the roadwork.

The Araniko Highway expansion, split into two segments for a total cost of Rs. 8.94 billion, started in December 2022. Ashish Kumar Shrestha/Bandhan/Bhagwati JV took on the Suryabinayak to Sanga stretch with a contract valued at Rs. 3.89 billion, and Lama Construction is responsible for the Sanga to Dhulikhel stretch, which is valued at Rs. 4.05 billion.

The expansion project also includes the construction of an underpass at the boundary between Bhaktapur and Kavrepalanchowk districts at Sanga. 

The project aims to improve connectivity and reduce traffic congestion along this busy section of the highway, which is a critical route linking the Kathmandu Valley with the eastern region of the country.

Despite these challenges, work on the project is expected to intensify as the construction companies push to meet the extended deadlines and complete the necessary infrastructure.