Kathmandu, July 31: Construction on ‘Block 1’ of the Kathmandu-Terai/Madhesh Fast Track, one of Nepal’s flagship national pride projects, has come to a halt due to delays by a Chinese contractor. In response, Defense Minister Min Bahadur Rai has taken diplomatic steps, first meeting the Chinese Ambassador in Kathmandu and later raising the issue with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun during a conference in Berlin.
Rai, who was attending the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Conference in Berlin in early May, briefed his Chinese counterpart on the contractor’s repeated delays despite receiving advance payments from the Nepal government. “I requested my Chinese counterpart to help facilitate the process,” Rai said, noting that initial discussions with the ambassador had not produced results.
The Kathmandu-Terai Expressway, overseen by the Nepal Army, has been facing increasing scrutiny. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has also shown concern, holding several rounds of discussions with stakeholders, including Minister Rai and Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel. One major sticking point is the unresolved issue surrounding the project’s starting location in Khokana. On Monday, Minister Rai visited the site to review the situation.
The Defense Ministry has begun consultations based on a technical report prepared by the Research and Training Unit of Pulchowk Engineering Campus. Recommendations from this study are guiding decisions on alignment and traffic management, with efforts now focused on identifying a workable alternative.
Despite the challenges, work is progressing in other areas. Out of 89 planned bridges, construction has started on 85, with five already completed. Agreements for these bridges were signed after Minister Rai took office, marking one year in the position. Additionally, 12 of the 13 construction packages—from 6.5 km to 70.977 km—are currently underway. Package No. 11, which covers the Khokana stretch, is still pending due to land acquisition and technical issues.
The expressway also includes seven tunnels. Breakthroughs have been achieved in the Dhedre and Lendanda tunnels in Makawanpur district, while construction continues on the others.
The total cost of the expressway is estimated at Rs 211 billion. As of mid-July 2025, the project’s physical progress stands at 41.37%, with financial progress at 42.74%. Of the Rs 15.3 billion allocated for the current fiscal year, Rs 13.46 billion has already been spent.
People’s News Monitoring Service
Login to add a comment