KATHMANDU, Sept. 24: The government has extended the completion deadline for the Kathmandu-Tarai/Madhesh Fast Track (Expressway) for the third time, with the project cost now projected to rise by up to Rs 20 billion.
The deadline has been extended until mid-April 2030, according to Arjun Jung Thapa, a member of the National Planning Commission. The previous extension had set the deadline for mid-April 2027.
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Physical progress on the project currently stands at around 50 percent. However, officials at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development are not confident that the remaining work will be completed within the extended deadline.
The project was initially estimated to cost around Rs 85 billion. The revised estimate has already pushed the cost to Rs 213 billion, with a further increase of around Rs 20 billion now projected.
The Nepali Army was assigned responsibility for constructing the Expressway on May 4, 2017, with the initial target of completing the project within four years. The deadline has since been extended repeatedly.
Meanwhile, discussions are underway to shift the project’s starting point from Khokana to Chobhar due to concerns over the utility of investment in Khokana and local disputes. Preparations are also underway to upgrade the road from Chobhar to Bhaktapur to four lanes and connect it with the Expressway.
Once completed, the project is expected to improve connectivity between Kathmandu and the Tarai/Madhesh and reduce travel time and transportation costs.
