The Government of Nepal has extended the deadline for the Narayanghat–Butwal road section, part of the East-West Highway and a project of national pride, by one more year. The deadline has been extended until July 22, 2026 (Shrawan 7, 2083 BS), after only 70% of the work was completed when the third extension expired.
Shiva Khanal, the Information Officer of the project’s eastern section, said this is the fourth and final extension. He stated that the construction company has committed to completing the work within the newly extended time frame.
Khanal shared that blacktopping has been completed in all areas except Daunne, and the remaining work is expected to be completed within the year. He noted that the construction company has recently intensified the pace of work, focusing manpower on concrete paving in Daunne and the construction of two remaining bridges.
He said that by the end of this period, around 65 kilometers of four-lane road, center dividers, and 17.5 kilometers of service lanes in the eastern section will be completed.
The road expansion is being carried out by China State Construction Engineering Corporation Limited. However, the company has said that it will be difficult to complete all work within one year. Rakesh Jha, deputy contract manager of the corporation, stated that they had requested an 18-month extension but the government granted only one year.
“It will be difficult to complete all the work within the extended timeframe,” Jha said. “We will try to finish on time, but some components like footpaths and beautification may remain incomplete.”
Currently, concrete paving is in progress in the Daunne section. Out of the required 4 kilometers, 900 meters of 6.25-meter-wide concrete has already been laid, and the rest is underway. Bridge construction is ongoing over the Arun Khola and Giruwari Khola.
The Giruwari bridge requires six concrete slabs; two have been completed and the remaining four are under construction. Out of 22 culverts planned in the Daunne area, three remain. The construction of 17.4 kilometers of 6-meter-wide service lanes on both sides of the road is also pending.
Around 100 meters of road connecting to the Narayani Bridge in Gaindakot remains unpaved. Gabion walls and earth-filling work along the roadside have been completed. Jha said they will now complete the sub-base and base course, and blacktop the remaining stretch to connect with the Narayani Bridge. Similarly, the large bridge at Jayshree in Gaindakot is being targeted for completion before Dashain.
Around 300 workers are currently engaged in the project. According to Jha, there are no significant obstacles remaining, and work is progressing at full speed. He added that if the project is not completed by the current deadline, they will request an additional six months based on progress. During that period, the company aims to complete all work and hand over the road to the government.
The construction company had signed an agreement with the Nepal government to complete the road expansion within 42 months, starting from February 7, 2019 (Magh 24, 2075 BS). The total length of the road is 114 kilometers, with the eastern section (Gaindakot–Daunne, 65 km) costing NPR 9.13 billion and the western section (Daunne–Butwal, 49 km) costing NPR 7.86 billion, making the total project cost NPR 16.99 billion.
