China’s Delays Worries Nepal, Narayangadh-Butwal Road Expansion Hits Critical Setbacks

In a worrisome turn of events, delays in the Narayangadh-Butwal road expansion project, led by the China State Construction Engineering Corporation, are causing mounting concerns for Nepal. Despite being initiated in 2075 BS, the project is currently only 45% complete, raising serious apprehensions about meeting the upcoming deadline.

Road Expansion Project’s eastern section chief, Ashish Thapa Magar, revealed that over half of the project remains unfinished, with just six months left until the extended deadline expires. This marks the second extension granted to the project, set to conclude in mid-July. Magar expressed doubt that the construction company will achieve the 90% completion target by the deadline, leaving a substantial amount of work pending.

Magar highlighted the sluggish progress, emphasizing the need for a monthly advancement of at least seven percent to meet the timeline. He attributed the delay to insufficient manpower and machinery, directing the China State Construction Engineering Corporation to allocate adequate resources and expedite the construction process.

The 113-km Narayangadh-Butwal section of the East-West Highway, covering approximately 65 kilometers in the Middle East section, was intended to be transformed into a six-lane road with service lanes in the market area. However, as of now, only 21 kilometers of a two-lane road have been completed in the eastern section, leaving a considerable stretch of over 100 kilometers yet to be constructed.

The project chief highlighted that while 21 kilometers have been blacktopped based on one-way calculations, more than 100 kilometers of blacktopping still lies ahead. Additionally, he emphasized that the construction company will be responsible for post-construction repair for five years, making the completion of 90% of the work by mid-July crucial.

With concerns growing over the project’s progress and the impending deadline, authorities are urging the China State Construction Engineering Corporation to step up efforts and ensure the timely completion of the Narayangadh-Butwal road expansion project.