Lane Rule Violators

 

One recent evening, I was cycling to my office. As I entered the busy road east of Tundikhel from Exhibition Road, a bus was moving slowly in the left lane designated for vehicles heading towards Singha Durbar and Maitighar. As I was bound for New Road, I needed to cross that lane to move into the right lane. 

When I attempted to do so, the bus began edging towards the right lane, picked up speed, and blocked my way several times. Finally, frightening several bikers and passenger vehicles, the bus abruptly swerved into the right lane before reaching Bhadrakali Temple. A car driver popped his head out of the window and voiced his ire at the bus driver.

The same day, a motorbike overtook a slow-moving bus and entered the lane in which the bus was travelling. In the process, the bike struck a pedestrian who had haphazardly stepped into the heavy traffic by crossing the railings. As the pedestrian sustained no injuries, the biker escaped with nothing more than a hurried ‘sorry’. You may have experienced similar incidents or accidents while driving, riding or walking through the streets of the Kathmandu Valley. Discipline seems to be observed by none. 

At the very least, you may have seen a microbus suddenly twisting its way towards Nepal Airlines Corporation at New Road directly from the Tundikhel gate. These microbuses create a particularly fearful situation for bike riders because of their reckless driving. Instead of gradually shifting to the extreme left lanes—where they are supposed to drop off their last set of passengers and pick up new ones—they speed up to the Tundikhel gate and take a dangerous turn.

Traffic police are often visible, but they rarely take notice of such behaviour. There are only a few designated locations, such as Thapathali Junction, where drivers or riders are penalised or fined for failing to follow lane discipline. Typically, the penalty costs Rs 1,000 and an hour spent on attending an awareness class conducted by the traffic police. Recently, a motorbike and two scooters disrupted traffic for more than 20 minutes on the narrow and busy street of Bhotebahal as they attempted to overtake despite traffic already being gridlocked. They blocked the opposite lane, and even pedestrians were unable to pass through.

Last month, I was stuck at Daunne hill in Nawalparasi for more than four hours. There was no rain, no landslide and no accident. When the jeep I was travelling in inched forward cautiously, it became clear that microbuses had blocked the opposite lane while attempting to overtake a queue of around 200 large and small vehicles. The road had effectively become one-way due to culvert construction. Just a day earlier, it had taken only 50 minutes to cross Daunne Hill. The following day, however, microbuses and minibuses brought traffic to a standstill, because of which I missed my flight to Kathmandu from Bharatpur. 

We have also seen people entering the Ring Road from exit points and exiting from entry points. Those who neither know nor follow such basic rules should be taken off the road for a certain period—ranging from a week to a month—by confiscating their driving licences. There are even more extreme violations: passengers alighting from buses are hit by motorbike riders attempting to overtake buses from the left at bus stops. Stern action must be taken, and heavy fines imposed, on drivers and riders who violate lane rules. This is essential to ensure smoother traffic flow and, above all, the safety of everyone on the streets.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 4 January 2026. 

Japan grants Rs. 2.6 billion to reconstruct BP Highway

Kathmandu, Oct. 30

The government of Japan has agreed to provide financial support worth R. 2.6 billion for the repair and reconstruction of the BP Highway, which was damaged by the floods in September last year.

The government of Nepal and JICA signed a grant agreement of up to 2.8 billion Japanese Yen (Rs. 2.6 billion) for the Emergency Rehabilitation of Sindhuli Road Affected by Floods on Thursday.

Secretary at the Ministry of Finance (MoF) Ghanashyam Upadhaya and Ambassador of Japan to Nepal Maeda Toru signed the exchange of notes for the same.

Similarly, the agreement was signed by chief of the Foreign Aid Coordination Division (FACD) at the MoF Dhani Ram Sharma, and Chief Representative of JICA Nepal Office Matsuzaki Mizuki.

According to a statement issued by the MoF, Finance Minister Rameshore Prasad Khanal and Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal were present at the signing ceremony.

Between September 26 and 29, 2024, a torrential rainfall in Nepal caused severe flooding and landslides, significantly damaging a few sections of the BP Highway - a vital route connecting Kathmandu to the Eastern Tarai.

“The grant aid is expected to support Nepal’s effort to strengthen the disaster resilience of the Sindhuli Road and recover from the damages for efficient operation,” read the statement.

The 160 km national highway connecting Kathmandu to the Mid and Eastern Tarai, was completed with Japanese Grant Aid of around 25.8 billion Japanese Yen, the largest such grant globally.

“Since becoming operational in March 2015, it has significantly reduced travel time from over 9 hours to just 5 hours between Kathmandu and Bardibas,” read the statement.

JICA has also supported the construction of Kathmandu-Bhaktapur Road (9.1 km) and the ongoing construction of Nagdhunga Tunnel.

  Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 31 October 2025.     

Crucial North-South corridors making slow but steady progress

 All projects witness cost and time overrun

Kathmandu, June 21 

With the conclusion of decade-long armed conflict, Nepal had announced north-south corridor projects in 2008/09 to realise an ambitious national goal to develop the country as the 'land-bridge' between two rising economic superpowers -- India and China.

The strategic north-south Koshi Corridor, Kaligandaki Corridor and Karnali Corridor were envisioned with an aim to create infrastructure that would facilitate not only the flow of goods and people from Nepal to the neighbouring countries but also facilitate international trade between India and China. They were also supposed to expand the development to the hills and mountains and benefit millions of people across the country.

However, the progress at these 'national pride' projects in the last one-and-a-half decades is less than encouraging. All three road projects were estimated to complete by 2013/14 but even 11 years since then, work at these projects is ongoing while they are recording cost overrun as well.

Although the combined (revised) cost of these projects stands at Rs. 60.63 billion, the government has been unable to allocate sufficient budget to them to ensure timely completion.

According to the North-South Trade Route Improvement Project Directorate at the Department of Roads (DoR), the government has allocated Rs. 740 million for the Koshi Corridor and the project utilised 99.20 per cent of the amount before May. Likewise, Kaligandaki Corridor's Beni-Jomsom-Korola section used up the allocated Rs. 933 million.

Aakriti Lakhe, an engineer at the Directorate, said that the projects are reeling from the shortage of budgets for the past several years. "Most of the times, the projects (and sections) utilise the allocated budget in six months. Meanwhile, it is not easy to transfer funds from other projects to these ones," she said.

Given the current pace of development, they are unlikely to complete even within the revised date. For example, the government has revised the completion date for Gaindakot-Ramdi-Maldhunga section of the Kaligandaki Corridor to mid-July 2027. But this project has achieved 78.50 per cent physical and 68.80 financial progress so far. The project is yet to contract out 17 bridges.

Likewise, the Koshi Corridor's new completion date is mid-July 2029 but in the past one-and-a-half decades, the project has achieved only 41 per cent physical progress with 4-km track opening still pending.

The Karnali Corridor is witnessing more pathetic progress. The project with stipulated completion date of mid-July 2027 has achieved only 36 per cent progress at 146-km stretch of Hilsa-Simikot and only 18 per cent progress at 123-km stretch of Khulalu-Salisalla. The completion date for Khulalu-Salisalla is yet to be estimated.

Meanwhile, the completed sections of these infrastructure undertakings have begun to play a role in economic integration and prosperity, tourism promotion, regional connectivity, and intra-national trade.

 

Igniting hopes in hills

In Sankhuwasabha’s remote Himalayan villages like Bhote Khola, Chichila, Makalu, and other surrounding areas, the lives of residents are being transformed as the north-south Koshi Highway makes a headway, although slowly.

The sight of black-topped roads at their doorsteps, once unimaginable for locals like Yusuf Rai of Chhongarang, now allows them to travel to the district headquarters in the morning and return home by evening.

Aimed at connecting remote Himalayan areas of Sankhuwasabha with the national road network, the Koshi Corridor is making people in the district hopeful about business ventures like hotels and agricultural enterprises. There are a few incidents of reverse migration as well.

According to Ram Bahadur Gurung, the project chief of the North-South Koshi Road Project in Sankhuwasabha, the project aims to develop a 162-kilometre road from Khandbari to Kimathanka border point, upgrading it to a fully blacktopped standard. However, the length of the road from Rani in Biratnagar (border point with India) to the Chinese border point in the north spans 345 km. The stretch from Rani to Sankhuwasabha is already blacktopped.

The total estimated cost of the project is Rs. 16.2 billion

According to project spokesperson engineer Suresh Jirel, 159 kilometres of track have already been opened, with 80 kilometres gravelled, 10 kilometres blacktopped, and three kilometres constructed with RCC reinforcement.

Likewise, eleven bridges have been completed, and regular transport services are operating along 140 kilometres of road. Jirel added that blacktopping is ongoing between Khandbari and Dovane, while base laying is in progress between Dovane and Barun. Between Barun and Chyamtang, two separate contracts are in place to upgrade the road to gravel standard.

The track from Chyamtang to Kimathanka was opened by the Nepali Army. A detailed project report (DPR) has been prepared for blacktopping this section, and the upgrading of the track from Hung Hung to Kimathanka has already started. The construction of a 60-metre steel truss bridge over the Barun River is scheduled for completion within the current fiscal year, according to Jirel.

Project chief Gurung said a major challenge for the project remains the preparation of DPRs and securing resources for the construction of 14 additional bridges. So far, DPRs have been completed for four bridges, with discussions ongoing to proceed with the remaining bridges under a 'design and build' modality.

Although road construction is underway, progress on the construction of bridges over streams such as Thamjanma Khola, Thogang Khola, Teju Khola, Handak Khola, Ikuwa Khola, Sangju Khola, Pemba Khola, Chembu Khola, Chumsur Khola, Chomadengdeng Khola, Chongrang Khola, Khangju Khola, Ghongghappa Khola, and Kamu Khola has been slow. Preparations to advance bridge construction are ongoing. The bridges at Chumsur, Chomadengdeng, Chongrang, and Khangju fall under sections managed by the Nepali Army.

Progress stands at 65 per cent for the 14-km section from Khandbari to Thamserku, 55 per cent for the 12-km section from Thamserku to Kaptane, 55 per cent for the 13-km section from Kaptane to Num, and 60 per cent for the 9.2-km section from Num to Dovane.

The bridge over the Barun River is 90 per cent complete. Sections from Barun to Hung Hung and Hung Hung to Chyamtang have recorded 25 and 35 per cent progress, respectively. The initial contracts for these sections were signed in mid-2021 with extensions now approaching their expiry dates. However, progress at various stretches of the road is not satisfactory even though the initial deadline for many of them has been revised.

The rugged Himalayan geography, hard rock, heavy rainfall, and snowfall have posed significant challenges at the construction sites. Likewise, budget shortages, resource approval delays, land boundary demarcation issues, land disputes, and disruptions caused by the relocation of utilities (such as electric poles and water pipes) have added further obstacles, said Gurung.

 

Two countries, seven districts

The Kali Gandaki Corridor, being constructed along the banks of the Kaligandaki River, is similarly reshaping the socio-economic landscape across the Gandaki and Lumbini provinces benefitting about 2 million people.

Stretching from Sunauli border with India to Korala border with China through Nawalparasi East, Palpa, Gulmi, Baglung, Parbat, Myagdi, and Mustang, this 442-kilometre corridor links hundreds of mountain villages directly into the national road network.

The track opening of the Kaligandaki Corridor began around one-and-a-half-decades ago in 2010 while the government listed it as the national pride project in 2016/17.

Envisioned as a tri-nation transit route of economic, cultural, and tourism importance, the corridor has been divided into an Upper Section (Maldhunga–Beni–Jomsom–Korala) spanning 202 km and a Lower Section (Gaindakot of Eastern Nawalpur–Ramdi–Maldhunga) covering 240 km.

The road upgrading began in fiscal year 2016/17 but the construction was affected due to the pandemic, budget shortages, natural disasters, landslides in Myagdi section, and contractor delays.

So far, 85 per cent physical progress has been achieved on the Maldhunga–Beni–Jomsom–Korala road. Its completion deadline is mid-July 2026, informed project information officer Bishnu Chapagai.

Out of 105 km of blacktopping required in the Upper Section, 80 km has been completed. Similarly, out of 97 kilometres of upgrading and gravelling, 94 kilometres have been finished. Of 19 bridges planned, 13 have been completed, and two more are expected to be completed by the end of the current fiscal year 2024/25.

Blacktopping works are ongoing at multiple sections, and tender process for blacktopping the 10-kilometre Kagbeni–Chhusang section in Mustang has also started within this fiscal year. However, managing and controlling four major landslides in the Myagdi section remains a challenge, according to Chapagai.

According to engineer Arun Khatri, information officer for the Lower Section of the road in Palpa, out of 240 km, 198 km has been blacktopped.

In the Parbat section, of 53 km, 32 km has been blacktopped, with the tender process ongoing for upgrading and blacktopping the remaining 20 km. Altogether, 230 km of the corridor has been blacktopped.

The 17 km Ramdi–Ranimahal section, awarded last year for upgrading, has achieved 20 per cent physical progress, with 420 metres still awaiting contract management.

The 44.48-km Harmichaur (Gulmi) to Balewa (Baglung) section was recently completed nearly six months ahead of schedule by Kalika Construction. Similarly, blacktopping and upgrading works are ongoing in the 10-km Balewa–Maldhunga section.

The challenging geography and frequent landslides (12 to 14 major sites) have posed significant hurdles for road construction, Khatri said.

Excluding bridges, the project aims to complete road construction within next two years. Out of 59 planned bridges, 35 have been completed, seven are under construction, while contracts for 17 bridges are yet to be managed.

Despite being prioritised as a national pride project, construction has been affected by insufficient budget allocation, as confirmed by project chief Kalpana Adhikari. The Lower Section still has outstanding payments of around Rs. 700 million to contractors, while the Upper Section has pending payments of around Rs. 150 million, totalling Rs. 850 million.

With the completion of the Kaligandaki Corridor, increase in domestic and foreign tourist visits to Mustang is expected to substantially contribute to the region's economic growth. The corridor also connects two famous religious sites, Muktinath and Lumbini, promoting religious tourism. It is considered the shortest route connecting Nepal's northern border with China (Korala) and southern border with India (Sunauli).

Early completion of the corridor could also benefit agricultural production and mineral industries in the region.

 

An arduous road to connectivity

Meanwhile, the complex terrain has posed challenges and delayed the construction of the Karnali Corridor. As of mid-June 2025, the national pride project has achieved 36 per cent physical progress and 34 per cent financial progress at the Khulalu–Hilsa section.

Although it took one-and-a-half-decades just to open the track due to budget shortages and delays, construction work on this much-talked project has recently gained momentum.

According to Bel Bahadur Nepali, Acting Chief of the Northern Section (Hilsa–Simikot) of the Karnali Corridor Road Project, this FY 2024/25 has seen 55 per cent physical and 52 per cent financial progress under its allocated budget. He reported that construction is advancing rapidly.

The government had handed the responsibility for constructing the Khulalu–Simikot Road to the Nepali Army in 2015, citing special circumstances. The 196.3 km long Karnali Corridor from Khulalu in Kalikot to Simikot, the district headquarters of Humla, was initially planned to be completed within five years, but it took seven years just to open the track.

The Army had requested deadline extensions citing budget constraints and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Army is currently carrying out blasting and construction work on an 11-km rocky section from Ghatpari Chaur to Bhukka Khola in Kalikot, Nepali informed. “About 3.5 km of the track had been opened between Ghatpari Chaur and Bhukka Khola last year and this year, the Army aims to open an additional 2.5 km using the allocated Rs. 100 million,” he said.

Work is also underway to replace all the temporary Bailey bridges along the Karnali Corridor with permanent bridges. Permanent bridges are currently being constructed in Khulalu, Sannigad, Phugad, Juddi, Kuwadi Khola, Galfagad, Sallisalla, and other locations.

Work on some bridge has already commenced, while others are scheduled to start within this fiscal year.

Upgrading and bridge construction works have been ongoing since last year on the Khulalu-Piluchaur section of Bajura. A separate contract worth over Rs. 4.25 billion has been awarded for an additional 50 km.

Last year, six contracts worth Rs. 600 million were awarded for improvement, maintenance, gabion wall construction, and gravelling of 60 km from Khulalu to Bajura.

Likewise, for the section from Piluchaur to Kuwadi Khola and Sallisalla in Humla, Rs. 1.12 billion has been allocated for the current fiscal year. Though the total contract value is Rs. 4.23 billion, after deductions for contingency and Value Added Tax, actual work worth Rs. 3.08 billion will be carried out.

For the repair and improvement of the 146-km Sallisalla–Hilsa section of the Karnali Corridor, a contract of Rs. 340 million has been awarded. The remaining 700-metre stretch near Simikot is yet to be constructed due to land disputes.

At present, vehicles are already operating on the road connecting Khulalu to Simikot.

A multi-year contract worth over Rs. 4 billion has been signed to blacktop 50 kilometres of the Khulalu–Hilsa section.

Meanwhile, the Khulalu–Sallisalla Road Project Office in Kalikot invited bids for a Rs. 4.23 billion multi-year contract in February this year for upgrading and blacktopping the Khulalu–Sallisalla section.

For the 50-km section from Laifu in Bajura to the Humla border, contracts have been awarded in two segments. The entire Khulalu–Hilsa section spans 347 km, while the distance from Jamunaha at the Indian border to Hilsa at the Chinese border totals 508 km.

According to Tularam Sharma, Chief of the Khulalu–Sallisalla Road Project, the multi-year contracts aim to complete upgrading and blacktopping within three years.

The Corridor passes through 13 local bodies in Kalikot, Bajura, Mugu and Humla districts.

The number of Indian tourists travelling to Mansarovar is also expected to rise following the construction of the Karnali Corridor while it has been envisioned as the backbone of Karnali's development.

(Jointly prepared with Hari Prasad Koirala in Urlabari Thakur Prasad Acharya in Myagdi, Nabin Subedi in Surkhet.)

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 22 June 2025. 

Government-World Bank launch roads improvement programme

Kathmandu, Nov. 22

The Government of Nepal and the World Bank jointly launched phase 1 of the US$128 million (Rs. 17.15 billion) Provincial and Local Roads Improvement Programme.

“The project aims to enhance the connectivity, efficiency, resilience and safety of Nepal’s provincial and local road network while also strengthening the government's ability to manage the road network,” the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) and the World Bank informed in a joint statement on Thursday. The MoUD will implement the programme in coordination with the provincial and local levels.

The project was launched in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Urban Development, Prakash Man Singh and provincial ministers of physical infrastructure and development from Sudurpashchim, Karnali and Madhes provinces.

“This project promotes the spirit of federalism embodied in the constitution bringing together the three tiers of government to work for the benefit of Nepalis. The project's focus on environment-friendly and climate-resilient construction techniques and five-year maintenance component is key to supporting sustainable infrastructure development,” said DPM Singh.

According to the statement, the first phase of the project will upgrade and improve 180km of selected provincial roads and bridges, undertake maintenance of 400km and 700km of existing provincial roads and bridges respectively,and construct 100km of all-weather roads and bridges to provide connectivity to prioritised municipalities and local levels.

"This project will help improve Nepal's road infrastructure with a focus on resilience, and safety," said David Sislen, World Bank Regional Country Director for Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

The project will be implemented in Sudurpashchim, Karnali, and Madhes provinces and 13 municipalities which will be scaled up in future phases. About one million people are expected to benefit from improved access to all-weather, resilient, and safe provincial and local roads and bridges.

At the launch event, a tri-partite memorandum of understanding was signed between the federal, provincial, and local governments of Sudurpashchim, Karnali, and Madhes provinces for the implementation of the project.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 23 November 2024.  

Four days to go, East-West Highway upgrading witnesses 18.5 % progress

Kathmandu, July 27

Overall progress of upgrading work of the Narayanghat-Butwal section in the East-West Highway has been just 18.44 per cent just four days before the deadline of the project expires.  

The strategic road is the major trade route of the country and the only highway to connect the ends at the eastern and western border.

The upgrading of the Narayanghat-Butwal section of the road is divided into two packages – Narayanghat to Daunne 64.42 km and Daunne to Butwal 48.53 km. Both the packages of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded project are carried out by China State Construction Engineering Corporation Limited.

The road upgrading work began on 7 February 2019 with the deadline of 1 August 2022. The highway will be developed into four lanes and service lanes in the urban areas, four lanes without service lanes in rural areas and three lanes in Daunne hill area.

But the status of the road is pathetic and commuting along it has long been a nightmare. It takes four to five hours to complete 120km travel on the section of the highway that is being upgraded. Bhoj Raj Poudel of Patihani in Narayanghat expressed his disappointment after travelling for more than five-hour to reach Butwal from his home this week.

The road turns dusty during sunny days and muddy in rainy days which has not only impacted the quality travel of the people but also created negative impacts on the local people.

Various observations and monitoring, including by the Development and Technology Committee (DTC) of the House of Representatives, have concluded that the road has become a 'curse' for the local people and the travelers. The drainages along the road are damaged which has caused inundations in the nearby settlements while the water supply pipelines have been damaged at multiple locations, a report of the DTC last year had concluded.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the DTC on Wednesday expressed deep concerns to the poor progress of the road and directed the government to initiate a process to review the entire project and complete the remaining job within the given deadline.

After a discussion with the Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Mohammad Ishtiyaq Rayi, ministry's secretary, chief of Narayanghat-Butwal Road Project and other concerned officials, the House Panel said that a situation has arisen where the contract would be cancelled due to poor and disappointing progress of the project.

It has clearly directed the government, the Infrastructure Ministry and Prime Minister's Office to make decision to complete the project in time without cost overrun.

Meanwhile, the DTC directed the government to review the terms and conditions of the road projects being constructed or upgraded with the loan and grant support from various friendly countries since such projects are lagging in quality and time.

Likewise, it asked the Infrastructure Ministry to immediately formulate policy standards to construct the access roads as the current practice of developing such facility has inflicted a serious damage to the national highways across the country. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 28 July 2022. 

Naubise-Nagdhunga Tunnel achieves over 50 per cent progress

 Kathmandu, Jun 9

The Naubise-Nagdhunga tunnel has achieved more than 50 per cent progress.

The Nagdhunga Tunnel Construction Project under the Department of Roads informed that about 2,901 metres tunnel is opened of the total target of 5,499 metres, which makes the progress of about 53 per cent.

According to the project, construction of about 1,283m of the 2,688m main tunnel is dug. Approximately 660m is dug from Kathmandu side and 623m from Dhading side.

Likewise, 1444m escape tunnel - 838m from Kathmandu side and 606m from Dhading, Sisne Khola side – is dug.

The project has so far achieved 37 per cent overall physical progress and 45.50 per cent financial progress.

Meanwhile, 126 meters working audit has been constructed at Dhading side. So far, 48 meters of cross passage has been constructed.

The total length of the tunnel is 2.69 KM, and it will have openings at Tutipakha of Chandragiri Municipality-1in Kathmandu and Sisnekhola of Dhunibensi Municipality in Dhading.

The tunnel will have two main lanes, one side lane which will be used to part vehicles if they run out of order.

Of the total 5,499 meters of tunnels to be dug under the project, 2,598 meters of tunnels are yet to be dug. A cross passage connecting the main tunnel and the escape tunnel has been constructed at every 300 meters of the tunnel. Up to seven cross passages will be constructed at every 300 meters inside the tunnel, informed the project on Thursday.

The national pride project should be completed by the first week of April 2023 however, the deadline is extended by 86 days due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The project said that it has completed the construction of all four box culvert, one overpass and three bridge while two of the three underpasses are completed. the

Japanese company Hazama Ando Corporation is constructing the tunnel. The company accept the contract with a plan to complete the 2.69-km long double-lane road tunnel within 42 months from the project commencement date.

 In 2016, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) had agreed to provide Rs. 17 billion loan to Nepal with 0.01 per cent interest for 40 years for the project. The government will bear Rs. 6.3 billion for land acquisition and other administrative work. 

 The detail design of the project was completed in April 2018. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 10 June 2022. 

Road damage at Liping risks trade and settlement

Kathmandu, June 30

Road authorities are struggling to repair a damaged portion of Arniko Highway in Liping in Sindhupalchok district and open a track for the transportation of goods to and from Tatopani border. However, undercutting of the Bhotekoshi River has made that task an uphill battle.

The Department of Roads (DoR) has sent machines to the place that was damaged in the heavy rains a couple of weeks ago, but cracks in the villages above the roads have compounded the problem.  

“The chances of constructing a retaining wall are slim due to the undercutting of the river, while deeper cutting in the hill could put the village at risk,” said Arjun Jung Thapa, Director General of the DoR. He said that the department was in a fix about continuing the repair work.

A day-long progress would surely come to naught should heavy rains occur at night because the newly opened track would be damaged by the landslide.

According to Thapa, three heavy equipment are at work at the site. “Only 40-metre road is damaged. Our machines open the track in the day but the rain in the night damage it again. There is a very difficult situation,” he said.

If the situation continued, the road wouldn’t be ready for vehicular movement until the monsoon season is over. The machines have opened about 20-metre track on Wednesday.

The village above has about 500 residents and their lives couldn’t be put at stake for the road, said Thapa.

 

He said that the department did not get the support from the local representatives, people as well as the police in maintaining the major trade route to the Chinese border.

He stated that the locals have submitted a memorandum to the department expressing concerns, but the local bodies have asked for royalty for the stones and pebbles collected from the Bhotekoshi River, the border between the two countries.

The damage point is one of the 16 locations that China had agreed to repair under the grant support and was handed over to the Chinese team some months ago. But the locals did not allow the Chinese technicians and workers to repair the road.

“Now the operation of the road depends on luck. If there is no heavy rain to cause landslide, it could be brought into operation within a couple of days, else we have to wait for a couple of months,” said Thapa.

However, some medical emergency goods are being carried to this side of the landslide through a rope way. Meanwhile, a trail is developed for people and goods to pass across the landslide.  

President of Nepal Chamber of Commerce, Rajendra Malla, said that the damaged road at Liping is likely to cause trouble to the traders as it has hindered the supply of goods.

Due to poor road connectivity and border obstructions, Tatopani witnessed Rs. 5.29 billion imports and no exports, accounting for only 0.38 per cent of country’s total imports in the 11 months of Fiscal Year 2020/21.

The size of imports from China through Tatopani was Rs. 9.53 billion in FY 2019/20, Rs. 485 million in FY 2018/19 and Rs. 618 million in FY 2017/18. Nepal exported goods worth Rs. 137.6 million to China in FY 2019/20.

Most parts of the 115 km-long Arniko Highway connecting Tatopani with the capital city Kathmandu had witnessed massive damages in Sindhupalchowk in the 2015 Earthquake.

 Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 1 July 2021. 

Shortest Hetauda-Kathmandu route construction gathers speed

Kathmandu, Jan. 6

Work at the shortest route connecting Hetauda, capital of Bagmati Province, with the federal Capital, Kathmandu, has gained momentum recently.

Satungal-Matatirtha-Deurali-Kulekhani road project is currently widening the road and constructing the civil structures on both sides in Kathmandu and Makwanpur district.

Distance from Satungal to Kulekhani is only 15 km. Directorate of Transport Infrastructure of Bagmati is carrying out the road upgrading works.

The project had begun some two decades ago to build the shortest road connection between the Kathmandu Valley and southern plains but it suffered budget crunch and poor access of the local governments to the project.

Spokesperson of the directorate Hari Prasad Ojha said that the works for road widening, construction of wall and sewerage management were undergoing.

According to him, the Infrastructure Development Office, Lalitpur is overseeing the work from Chandragiri Municipality-8, Satungal to Makwanpur’s Indra Sarobar Gaunpalika – 5, Mahalaxmi Dovan-Chakhel-Deurali section of the road project.

It has the responsibility to construct about 8 km road. The road will be 6.5 metres wide with 5.5 metres width.

The contractor had started the work in June 2019 with an agreement to complete it in November last year but the project is still incomplete. Citing the COVID-19 pandemic, the construction company had requested for a year’s extension of the deadline. Ojha said that the process to extend the deadline had already been started and the work had also caught speed.

Likewise, the work at Dovan-Chakhel-Deurali section would be completed by June 2022.

About Rs. 70.3 million is allocated for the construction of road widening and other civil construction work. The Dovan-Deurali section of the road won’t be blacktopped this time.

This road starts in Hetauda and passes through Bhimphedi, Kulekhani, Mahalaxmi Bridge, Deurali, Matatirtha and Satungal to reach Kathmandu.

The length of the road is 61 km. Other roads connecting Kathmandu with Hetauda are Hetauda-Markhu-Chitlang-Thankot (67 km), Hetauda-Phakhel-Kathmandu (80 km), Hetauda-Sisneri-Kathmandu (82 km), Tribhuvan Highway (132 km) and Prithvi Highway and Mahendra Highway (224 km).

Narayanghat-Butwal section of East-West Highway in awful state

Kathmandu, Oct. 31

Shreeram Joshi of Pratappur Gaunpalika-2 of Nawalparasi lost his mother in early October this year. She had shown symptoms of jaundice and was quickly taken to Butwal, where a couple of hospitals denied to admit her and some senior doctors recommended to take her to Bharatpur. Joshi and his brothers couldn’t make it due to an accident at Daunne section of East-West highway, which, along with the death of a patient in an ambulance stuck at the congestion due to the mishap, blocked the road for more than 12 hours.  

Journalist Arjun Pokhrel who biked to his home in Pyuthan and back to the Capital expressed his frustration over the damaged road section from Bardaghat to Madhyabindu (the centre of the East-West Highway). “Everyone travelling from Madhyabindu to Bardaghat ask whether this country has a government.” 

The Narayangadh-Butwal section of the East-West Highway is gradually turning into ruins while the most difficult stretch with sharp bends and steep road at Daunne Hill is in miserable state and dusty. Most other stretches wear a rugged look due to multiple patch works.

Considered as the artery of trade and travel for the Himalayan nation, the highway is the lifeline for business, trade and human relations. It is the only road that connects the eastern and western border of the country. The Narayangadh-Butwal section is crucial for the movement of goods as it connects Bhairahawa, one of the largest trading points at the southern border with India. On the way, one can see hundreds of heavy trucks carrying goods ranging from petroleum to vegetables and heavy machinery.

Although the process of the expansion of the road was initiated in 2016, it was inaugurated in 2019 January and should be completed by 2022.

However, The Rising Nepal’s field observation concluded that there is little progress made. Half of the section awaits clearing of the forest, which has become a contentious issue. The Chinese workers left for their home in late December 2019, and returned just a couple of months ago.

Health hazard

Dumkibas, a town at the foothill of Daunne, fears for the worst as the entire road crossing the locality is in a dilapidated state and the shops and settlements around are engulfed in dust and vehicle emission throughout the day.

“If you stay here for a couple of days, you must see a doctor. We occasionally sprinkle water on the dusty road but that is not sufficient for a busy highway like this,” said Sashant Joshi, a computer engineer, whose family runs Daunne Devi Oil Store in Dumkibas of Binayi Triveni Gaunpalika of Nawalpur.

Passengers are also doomed to experience dust, bumps and fatigue while travelling along the road, and vehicles wither out early. “Immediately after crossing the Narayani River, you begin to have bad experience. The dust makes you difficult to drive while the uneven patchy works make it difficult to control the vehicle,” said Bishnu Raj Paudel who frequently travels to Butwal from Narayangadh.

“The damaged road costs you in multiple ways – maintenance cost and oil consumption goes up. Chances of accidents are also high,” he said.

Worst is yet to come

While the chance of timely completion of the road expansion is minimal, the road is unlikely to be rehabilitated until then.

According to the Department of Roads (DoR), as per the agreement with the contractors, only the potholes will be patched up with bitumen while the longer damaged stretch will undergo continuous graveling and grading. It means there would be more dust and travelling would be more difficult in days to come as the remaining stretch of the road is also on the verge of collapse.

However, there were efforts to minimise the hazards immediately, said Keshab Kumar Sharma, Director General of the DoR.

“We have recently communicated with the team leader of the consultants and asked them to minimise the dust and other health hazards. The prolonged monsoon had delayed the repair works,” he said.

Expressing concerns that the deadline might not be met, Sharma said that the COVID-19 pandemic had an adverse impact on the road expansion project.

The government has allocated Rs. 12.21 billion for the expansion of the East-West Highway for the current fiscal year with the aim of making the trunk road a 4-lane highway within the next three years. The Asian Development Bank has provided a loan support for the upgradation of the road.

Inaugurated in 1962, currently the East-West Highway is 1,028-km long.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 1 November 2020. 

We have given priority to complete pending projects

Basanta Kumar Nembang

Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport

Nepal aims at graduating from the Least Developed Country Status (LDC) by 2022, and middle-income country by 2030, and to reach there it requires investing about 12 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product annually to the infrastructure development. But the development in the country is receiving multiple glitches due to weak legal instruments, capacity of contractors, lack of financing and land compensation as well as environmental issues. However, newly appointed Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Basanta Kumar Nembang is spearheading to ensure timely implementation and conclusion of public infrastructure. He talked about his initiatives and national infrastructure development strategy and transport management in the weekly Gorkhapatra Sambad on Sunday. Excerpts:

Weak development execution

Development of large infrastructure projects will not be an issue in the days to come since we have addressed it with better policy, programmes and laws and budget. Enough resources have been allocated to the projects that critical to the national and local development.

After assuming the post of the minister of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, I have realised that the weaknesses lie at the implementation. When we maintain accountability of the programme managers and concerned authorities as well as the leadership, and transparency in the activities, most of the challenges would be addressed automatically. I would like to emphasise that the leaders – both political and bureaucratic – must be sincere, accountable, transparent and diligent.

Strategy

In order to resolve the developmental challenges, we need to make reforms in the three areas: policy, organisation and execution. We have almost completed the policy reforms while a couple of laws and bylaws are still in the course of development or amendment. The government organisations are being made smart while capable teams are being deployed at the critical departments and projects.

I have started the Organisational and management survey and transferred qualified officials to the key positions of major agencies. I want to boost the confidence of the hard-working government officers by giving them opportunity to exhibit their capacity. I have directed them to put sincere efforts to execute the respective jobs and assured no interference in their work. Attention would be paid to even small works that are important for people. I have asked the responsible authorities to make weekly reporting about the progress in the work and planning for the next week. I want to enhance the accountability in the part of the government.

I feel now that they have begun to work with positive vibes. There is no problem of non-cooperation among the government agencies and civil servants. Gone are the days when a file would keep circling the government office without any prompt decision.

Pride Projects

Most of the pride projects such as East-West Railway, highways, tunnels, Postal Highway, Mid-Hill Highway, Madan Bhandari Highway, north-south corridors are with the MoPIT. The speed of most of these large infrastructure projects was clumsy in the past. But we have given priority to complete the pending projects and their speed is rather satisfactory now. The government has started the development projects with a clear vision and planning.

Railways, waterways and tunnels are in priority. Work is started at the Sitapaila-Nagdhunga Tunnel and Tinkune-Jadibuti Tunnel while studies are undergoing at multiple locations for the same. In the next three to four years, there will be a couple of tunnels in the country. This is the time and we are the people to start the development in the country. We are trying to achieve the development vision of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. Waterways and East-West Railways are among his priority projects.

The Ministry has also facilitated the contractors in completing the sick projects. There were about 1,500 sick projects of various sizes across the country. Contractors were asked to submit the work schedule to complete the sick projects. A couple of large projects are also pending. In case of incompletion of these projects even within the additional time, the contractors would be black-listed and punished. There will be continuous monitoring of the reinitiated sick projects.

Ensuring quality

In case of the government projects, the provision of compensating the land should be removed. Design default, poor policies and execution and contractors' intention to take benefit from the loose legal framework were the main causes behind the increment in the number of sick projects.

There will soon be a mechanism to ensure quality of the public construction. Public has long been raising question about it. Our priority is to create tight legal provisions to maintain quality of construction, there should be no compromise.

Single-lane bridge will not work now. All the national, regional and strategic roads will be at least double lane. So will be the bridges. Sometimes there is a mismatch in the construction of bridge and road which is creating bottlenecks for traffic. About 300 bridges will be completed in this Fiscal Year 2019/20.

Road Safety

Road safety is another area of priority. We need to develop legal instrument to ensure road safety. Kathmandu is the hub of tourism, culture, economy and politics. People from all over the country come here for various works. Therefore, there is a pressure on traffic in the valley. Filling the potholes, maintaining the beautification, management of traffic light are the basic works, but the government aims at addressing the challenges in a sustainable way.

Current overlay of the road is a periodic maintenance that will last for three years. It is difficult to create a new road or conduct maintenance of roads Kathmandu Valley due to heavy traffic and a small window of time available in the night. To increase the road safety, the government will increase monitoring of 20-year old vehicles as they are restricted.

We have given priority in road-safety outside the Kathmandu Valley as well. A new wired technology is applied in Narayangadh-Mugling Road. Refreshment centres along the highways are also in the plan. Local bodies are interested to make such centres in the public-private-partnership (PPP) model.

Capital expenditure

There is still a trend to use up the budget in the last month of the fiscal year. The laws related to project development have been improved and recreated in order to facilitate swift development.

First three months of the FY during the monsoon should be used in developing Detailed Project Reports (DPR) of the projects, concluding tender process and completing other necessary procedures. There are many things that need to be concluded before calling for the tender – land acquisition, forest clearance, DPR, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) etc.

Ride Sharing

The case of ride sharing companies Tootle and Pathao has created controversy in the recent days. The government must facilitate the new technology. Ride sharing is in global practice, so we need to take positive steps. We must not apply restrictive measures in this case. We have to create appropriate policy to give way to innovation and create business opportunities in the country. Nobody is above the law, but we can address any problem with new policy instruments.

Old laws say that the private number plate bearing vehicles are not allowed to rental services. But the new federal structure of the country has given the right to manage the private vehicles to the States. The State law has allowed the vehicles bearing private number plate to provide passenger travelling services if they have proper insurance and followed legal norms. The law was passed in February this year.

Court has also said that practical aspects should not be overlooked while regulating the ride-sharing companies and activities. The court has directed the government to create appropriate legal framework to regulate them.

Federal Capital Urban Public Transportation Management Bill is passed by the National Assembly. It will answer most of the questions related to ride sharing activities. An authority will be created in the Kathmandu Valley for transport management.

We are planning to keep the cables underground from our own resources from Gaushala to Tinkune. The DPR of the project is already ready.. We have to demolish the houses and land worth Rs. 6 billion in that area and it is the only obstruction and a problem for the government. The government is going to lay the cables underground where there is the airport in one side and houses on the other.

The roads that fall under the Road Division and ministry are getting new face. Earlier, we used to receive phone calls asking about the potholes in Chabahil and Kalanki roads. We have coordinated with Nepal Water Supply Corporation for the potholes management, and now it’s going on inside the Ring Road. And now Ring Road looks clean and clear.

Road expansion

The two Ministries, Tourism and mine, are jointly working to build flyovers in five places, including Tinkune and Koteshwor. We are also opening a four lane underpass from Tinkune to  Jadibuti.  JICA is working on it.

A three lane road from Jadibuti to Patan will be constructed. We, two ministries, have already purchased the land for it. The one lane road will be extended from Tinkune to Jadibuti. We have already opened the tender for these works and we are bringing this road into operation within this fiscal year.

Cement industries

We had shortage of cement earlier but now we are self-reliant on it. There is a tension of surplus in the present context. The cement entrepreneurs are seeking to use the surplus production in road building, especially in the area where water flows from the roads, because blacktopping does not last long in the wet roads.  The industrialists are asking to use their product in those roads. They are asking for the utilisation of their products in the nation building projects, so that they could survive and the roads will also be strong. Their demand is genuine.

Railways

Construction of East-West 1000 km electric train is a pride project and this is the dream of Prime Minister Oli. We are working to collect national and international donations for the project. From this fiscal year, construction of Kakarvitta to Inaruwa section will be started and budget has already been allocated for this. We will start the tender process within this year.  

(Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 16 March 2020. Prepared  by Modnath Dhakal and Indira Aryal)

  

Govt concocts plan to reduce accidents

Kathmandu, Dec. 20

Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Basanta Kumar Nembang has said that the government has prepared a plan to reduce and prevent road accidents. 

“Preventing road accidents has become a priority of the government. President Bidya Devi Bhandari has also shown serious concerns about the increasing cases of road accidents,” he said while speaking at a meeting of the Parliament’s Development and Technology Committee on Friday. 

He said that the President had directed the concerned agencies to take proactive steps against the increasing incidents of road accidents and the ministry had prepared a report on the issue after consultation with all the stakeholders including the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport and other government and private sector agencies.

The report has analysed and assessed the reasons behind accidents, current status, past scenario and statistics of the first four-month of the current fiscal year 2019/20. 

“We have identified the methods to minimise the accidents and presented them points by points. The report has also recommended policy measures, and short-term, medium-term and long term legal frameworks for the same,” he said. “The ministry wants to move it forward as a bill.”

The House panel has expressed serious concerns over the growing incidents of road accidents and directed the government and MoPIT to immediately apply measures to curb them. 

The committee has also formed a 5-member sub-committee to conduct a study into the matter. The committee is led by lawmaker Ganesh Pahadi and members include Yagya Raj Sunuwar, Durga Poudel, Rangamati Shahi and Gauri Shankar Chaudhary as members. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 21 December 2019. 

Nepal and China agree on cooperaion in roads, railways and tunnels

Kathmandu, Oct. 13

Nepal and China have agreed to intensify cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to enhance connectivity by developing ports, roads, railways, aviation and communication.

They have agreed to expedite the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation under the BRI to enhance connectivity within the framework of trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network.

A joint statement issued by the two neighbours on Sunday at the conclusion of the two-day state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Nepal maintains that the implementation of connectivity infrastructure will contribute to Nepal’s aim to graduate from the status of the Least Developed Country (LDC) at an early date and become a middle income country by 2030.

Nepal plans to graduate to a developing nation from its current LDC status by 2022.

President Xi and Prime Minster KP Sharma Oli observed the agreements signing on Sunday morning following their bilateral meeting.

The visit of the Chinese Head of the State after a gap of 23 years brought joy to the government and people of Nepal as the two nations agreed to conduct the feasibility study of the Keyrung-Kathmandu Railway project which will be the first cross-border railway in the north. 

China has also assured that it would extend support to the proposed Kathmandu-Pokhara-Lumbini railway project.

Nepal and China had signed an MoU in June 2018 on Cooperation in Railway Project.

Cross-border connectivity

The northern neighbour has agreed to open the Lizi-Nechung port across the Korala border at the earliest date and build necessary infrastructure on Nepal’s side of the border.

Currently Zhangmu/Khasa port across Tatopani is operating freight functions while Jilong Keyrung port on the other side of Rasuwagadhi will come into operation shortly.

China has supported Nepal in the construction of Larcha Dry Port at Tatopani border and is constructing Timure Dry Port at Rasuwagadhi border point which has witnessed the increased trade activities following the devastation of the former in the 2015 earthquake.

Tunnel along the Keyrung-Kathmandu road is also included in the joint statement. Currently, China and Nepal have agreed to conduct feasibility study of the project.

 In an effort to facilitate cross-border movement of goods and people the northern neighbour is also helping Nepal in developing the Syaphrubensi-Rasuwagadhi road as a two-lane highway.

In another effort to create long-term connectivity infrastructure, China has agreed to upgrade and reconstruct the Araniko Highway connecting Kathmandu to Tatopani-Khasa.

Similarly, China will be supporting Nepal in developing three north-south corridors – Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali Economic Corridors. “It will create jobs and improve livelihood of locals and stimulate economic growth and development,” read the joint statement. 

The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in various fields of economy, including trade, tourism, investment, capacity of production and improving people's livelihood so as to promote mutual development.

President Xi’s visit has also facilitated Nepal to have greater direct air services to China as the two countries have welcomed the consensus between their civil aviation authorities on expanding the air rights arrangement to operate more direct air services.  

Nepal will also get assistance for training its technical human resources in railway, road and tunnel engineering, inland waterways and shipping.

Expanding export to China

China has assured that it would take positive measures to expand Nepal’s export to China.

It has agreed to consider providing technical support for the establishment of multifunctional laboratory in Nepal and extend cooperation to make Tatopani Frontier Inspection Station at Larcha fully functional.

At the same time, Nepal will facilitate the Chinese banks to open their branches and other financial services in Nepal to facilitate trade and investment between the two countries. Nepali private sector has long been demanding the operationalisation of the Chinese banks in Nepal in order to make the trade and economic activities between the two countries formal.

According to the Ministry of Finance, the government is trying to bring a Chinese bank in joint-venture with a Nepali bank, but the former is interested to open its branch instead of a JV. 

Likewise, the two neighbours have agreed to establish working groups on investment cooperation and trade under the framework of Nepal-China Joint Commission on Economy and Trade, to facilitate the respective activities. 

The two countries will sign an MoU on cooperation on Import and Export of Food Safety in near future. They signed a protocol on phyto-sanitary requirements for the Export of Citrus Fruits from Nepal to China. 

According to the joint statement, energy exchange between the two countries is likely to happen soon as they agreed to carry out Nepal-China Electric Power Cooperation Plan and complete it within one year. 

They also agreed to take this plan as an important reference for the next step of bilateral electric power cooperation and promote its implementation. There will be greater exchanges and cooperation in hydropower, wind power, solar power, biomas energy and other kinds of new energies and grid systems. 

Tapping on the aspiration of Nepal, the world’s second largest economy has assured its support in establishing a multidisciplinary Madan Bhandari University for Science and Technology and promised to start work immediately after the government chooses a suitable site for the institution. 

The two neighbours also signed an agreement for Boundary Management system to enhance and improve the level of cooperation in the area. They said that a joint scientific research would be conducted to measure the height of Sagarmatha (Zhumulangma). 

China has also promised its support to promote Visit Nepal Year 2020 in China through various activities and said that it would welcome Nepal to participate in the travel marts being organised in China.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 14 October 2019.