Army builds first camp for Expressway Project

Kathmandu, Oct. 18: The Nepal Army (NA) on Wednesday inaugurated the first camp set up for its task force of the Kathmandu-Terai Expressway Project at Makkhu Besi of Dakshinkali Municipality- 8.

Lieutenant General of the NA Purna Chandra Thapa inaugurated the camp that can accommodate 110 individuals and store construction materials and machinery required for the expressway.

Thapa also leads the High-Powered Committee on the road project. 

He said that the construction of the camp was completed 10 days before the estimated time and that the army would try to complete the project before the stipulated time frame of four years.

He, therefore, sought cooperation from the people’s representatives in the local bodies, government agencies and other concerned organisations. 

The NA is constructing similar base camps at Khokana, Kulekhani, Mahadev, Dedre, Lamidada, Budune, Rajtamar, Andheri and Nijgadh. 

Chief of the Kathmandu-Terai Expressway Project, Major General Yogendra Bahadur Khand, said that the NA was developing the project as per the Asian Highway Standards. 

“Heavy machinery and equipment for the project are being managed. Camps at five locations are under construction, and access roads to them have been completed,” he said. 

According to him, domestic and foreign contractors will be hired as per the demand of the construction works, and in some of the complicated areas or tunnel construction, the EPC (Engineering Procurement Construction) model will be applied. 

The EPC contractors carry out the Detailed Engineering Design of a project, procure the required equipment and materials, construct the project and deliver it to their client.

Chief District Officer of Lalitpur Mahadev Pant said that it was the wish of the people, government and political parties that the army should build the expressway. 

Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Defence Ananda Raj Regmi said that the project would play an important role in the country’s development and prosperity, and expressed the commitment that the ministry would facilitate the NA in every possible way. 

Mayor of Dakshinkali Municipality Mohan Basnet pledged every kind of support needed for the development of the road. He also urged the NA to construct the Bagmati Corridor – Dakshinkali to Chobhar – as it would help to transport heavy equipment and machinery required for the project.

The government handed over the responsibility of constructing the expressway to the NA on May 14 this year. 

The 76.2 km road connects the Kathmandu Valley with Nijgadh of Bara district in south central Nepal.

The government recently decided to procure the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the expressway from the Indian company IL&FS.