Carry out construction without harming religious beliefs: PM

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Jan. 28: Prime Minister Sushila Karki has emphasised that development works, including major road infrastructure projects, must proceed without undermining religious beliefs or damaging cultural heritage.

While inspecting the Kathmandu–Tarai Madhes Expressway (Fast Track), a national pride project accorded top priority, Prime Minister Karki issued directives at a programme organised in Khokana, Lalitpur, on Tuesday, urging authorities to take local grievances seriously and seek appropriate solutions.

“Local concerns must be addressed with due respect and seriousness,” Prime Minister Karki said. “If necessary, we should be prepared to revise alignments and even shift zero point or the beginning point of the project.

She said that the development must move forward without infringing upon the faith and beliefs of the local communities.

She further advised that adequate open spaces should be ensured while constructing physical infrastructure. 

“Open spaces are essential during natural disasters, for public movement, fairs, festivals, gatherings and social activities,” the Prime Minister said. “The mindset of constructing structures wherever vacant land is seen must be abandoned. Planning itself should incorporate sufficient open and public spaces.”

During the inspection, Chief of the Army Staff Ashok Raj Sigdel and Project Chief Major General Dharmendra Jha briefed the Prime Minister on the project’s overall progress, challenges and current status. 

The inspection team also included the Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport and the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Project progress overview 

According to Raja Ram Basnet, Director of the Army’s Directorate of Public Relations and Information and Spokesperson for the Nepali Army, the project has achieved 45.16 per cent physical progress and 45.33 per cent financial progress as of mid-January, 2026. 

The Expressway includes seven tunnels with a combined length of 10.979 kilometres. Of these, the Mahadevtar Tunnel, measuring 4,708 metres, has seen 2,500 metres of excavation completed in the left tunnel and 2,119 metres in the right tunnel. Breakthroughs have already been achieved in the Dhedre and Lendanda tunnels, according to Basnet.

Similarly, out of the total 3,825 metres of the Chandram Bhir Tunnel, 662 metres of excavation has been completed so far. Portal construction work is currently under way at the Sisautar and Maurebhir tunnel sites, said the Nepali Army.

Under the bridge construction component, 13 special-category bridges, each standing 82 metres high, have been completed. Of the 89 long-span and high bridges planned, foundations have been prepared at 54 locations, while substructure work has been completed at 34 sites, according to the progress report of the project as of mid-January, 2026. 

Contract management for 85 of the 89 bridges has been finalised and construction is under way. However, bridge contracts at four locations in the Khokana section of Lalitpur have been delayed due to land acquisition issues, explained the Nepali Army.

In terms of road construction site, sub-base work has been completed along 11 kilometres of the alignment, while blacktopping has been completed on five kilometres, including service lanes, informed the Army.

The Army reported that 54,151 trees have been felled so far under the project. To date, Rs. 82.97 billion has been spent out of the total estimated project cost of Rs. 211.93 billion. The Nepali Army aims to complete the project by mid-April, 2027.