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KATHMANDU, June 20: Lalitpur’s much-anticipated Gwarko overpass is set to open for public use from Friday, ending a four-year wait.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is scheduled to inaugurate the overpass Friday afternoon, after which it will be officially opened, according to Keshav Sharma, Secretary at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport.
The contractor had formally informed the Quality Research and Development Center under the Department of Roads that all construction work was completed, sending an official letter last Sunday. So far, the government has paid 46 percent of the total contract amount i.e. Rs 170.6 million with the rest expected to be cleared soon after document verification.
Gwarko overpass becomes operational after four-year wait
This is Nepal’s first-ever overpass. Previously, only underpasses, such as the one in Kalanki, were built within the Ring Road.
According to Sharma, the ministry is planning to build another overpass either in Satdobato or Ekantakuna in the next Fiscal Year (FY)2025/26, pending funding confirmation from the Ministry of Finance. If approved, tenders may be called within the same fiscal year.
Officials admit there were delays due to the novelty of the project. The contractor, Ashish Samanantar Railigate Company, completed all final tasks, including traffic lights, road markings, signs, and drainage by Thursday. The overpass measures 320 meters toward Koteshwor and 180 meters toward Satdobato, with a 35-meter-long, four-lane bridge at its core.
After missing the final deadline of December 23, the company was fined Rs 85,000 per day starting from December 24. The penalty was enforced at a daily rate of 0.05 percent, prompting the contractor to accelerate the work.
The government had earlier amended the Public Procurement Regulations (14th amendment) to allow deadline extensions for incomplete projects. The contract for the Gwarko overpass was signed on 24 February 2022, for a total value of Rs 170.6 million.
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