CHITWAN, Sept 5: Under the Nagdhunga–Muglin Road Project, the western section of the Muglin–Malekhu road has begun repairs ahead of the festive season, alongside ongoing upgrading works. Since traffic increases on this road during Dashain, workers have started filling and leveling potholes in addition to paving.
Kedar Prasad Nepal, Chief of the western section, said repair work has started to fill small and large potholes before Dashain. He said, “As the number of travelers rises during Dashain and Tihar, we have focused on repairs to facilitate smoother travel and reduce accidents.”
Nepal added that gravel is being used to fill large potholes, and leveling work is underway. Of the 38 kilometers in this section, eight kilometers have already been paved. “Preparations for paving other sections are underway. For remaining potholes, maintenance work has begun,” he said.
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Due to the monsoon, paving is not feasible, so workers have installed steel structures along the road and are working on RCC safety barriers, he added. The construction of four of the six bridges in this section are in the final stage. Nepal noted that casting work has been completed for Mawa Khola, Khatouti, and Gaumati bridges, and access roads are under construction.
The Warbang Bridge will be cast within a week. All four bridges are expected to be completed within two months and open to traffic. “For the remaining Charoudi Bridge, two of three foundations are complete, while one of three foundations at Hugdi is finished,” he said. These two bridges are targeted for completion before the next year’s monsoon.
Engineer Bijay Darai said the road upgrading work is 35 percent complete. “This section will have 22 kilometers of two lanes, covering Malekhu, Benighat, and Muglin, while 7.2 kilometers will be upgraded to four lanes,” he explained.
Darai said the four-lane sections will pass through Ramailo Danda, Kurintar, Phisling, Chumling, Majhimtar, Charoudi, and Bishaltar, while uphill and downhill stretches will feature three-lane climbing lanes. He added that the climbing lanes will cover 2.3 kilometers, and the remaining road will remain two lanes.
The contract for this road was awarded on December 30, 2022, with a three-year completion timeline. The Muglin–Nagdhunga section of the Prithvi Highway was tendered in three phases, and this section falls under the third phase, covering 38.86 kilometers, Nepal said.
Sharma–ZICG won the contract for upgrading this section at Rs 4.8059 billion. Engineer Darai noted that the work includes constructing drainage, landslide prevention structures, cutting walls, retaining walls, and implementing road safety measures.
He added that the road is being built with World Bank assistance. As a main entry and exit point to Kathmandu, this section faces high traffic and material scarcity, which the construction company cited as reasons for delays. Additionally, design changes in the initial years contributed to the slow pace, Darai said.
