GANDAKI, April 28: Leaving behind the dust and mud troubles from the construction phase, the public will soon travel on the four-lane Pokhara–Mugling road. If no unexpected obstacles arise, authorities will complete the road upgrade by the upcoming winter.
Since mid-April 2021, workers have been expanding and upgrading the Pokhara–Mugling section of the Prithvi Highway, which was originally built around 50 years ago.
This road, known as the 'lifeline' of Gandaki Province, has achieved 82.95 percent physical progress on its eastern section (Jamune–Mugling) and 50.34 percent on its western section (Pokhara–Jamune). According to Engineer Bishnu Prasad Pandey of the eastern section, crews need to blacktop only three kilometers of the 41.45-kilometer stretch.
"The blacktopping is in its final phase. We have built a six-lane, two-kilometer stretch in the Damouli and Dumre markets, while the rest of the section features four lanes," he said. "We aim to complete work on the eastern section by mid-July."
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Workers completed 17 small and large concrete bridges on the eastern section last year. A separate contractor is currently building the ‘signature’ bridge over the Madi River. Engineer Pandey said the Covid-19 pandemic initially delayed construction, but the work has recently caught its pace. China Communication Construction has been carrying out the work on this section since mid-April 2021 under a contract worth Rs 6.21 billion.
Krishna Bahadur Kunwar, head of the western section, said workers would finish two-lane blacktopping by mid-May. Out of the 38.88-kilometer stretch, workers have already completed two-lane blacktopping on 35.50 kilometers.
"Only three kilometers of two-lane blacktopping remain. Meanwhile, we have completed four-lane blacktopping on 18 kilometers," Kunwar said. "We aim to finish four-lane blacktopping on 30 kilometers by mid-July."
Workers still need to complete two-lane blacktopping in the Amar Singh, Chauthe, Vijaypur, and Talchowk areas of Kaski. They have already finished two-lane blacktopping from Pokhara Airport to Seti Bridge. "Delays in relocating electric poles have affected the construction," Kunwar said. "We still need to remove about 400 poles." Since the contract period runs until Poush (mid-January), workers are pushing to complete the blacktopping before the deadline.
After completing the blacktopping, workers will start building sidewalks and installing road safety features. In the western section, they will construct 18.5 kilometers of six-lane roads, while the rest will have four lanes. "We have already built six-lane roads in urban areas," Kunwar said. "We have also completed six-lane roads in Dulegauda and Khairenitar of Tanahun." Out of 12 planned bridges in this section, workers have completed 10. Construction is still underway on the bridges at Bijaypur and Sheratar.
Rasuwa Construction is building the 'signature' bridge over the Seti River under a separate contract and has achieved 44.66 percent progress. The company is constructing the cable-stayed bridge at a cost of Rs 940 million. In the western section, Yanhui Kaiyuan Highway and Bridge Construction has been working since August 2021 under a contract worth Rs 7.40 billion.
Workers have already blacktopped most parts of both sections with two lanes, making travel easier. Once they complete the four-lane blacktopping, travel time between Pokhara–Kathmandu and Narayanghat will shorten significantly. The Asian Development Bank is financing this 81-kilometer road project through a loan. Tourism entrepreneurs from Pokhara have been pressuring the government to expedite this nationally prioritized project.
The road upgrade is expected to boost Gandaki Province’s economic and tourism activities. Travelers will no longer endure hours-long journeys through dust and mud.
Rajesh Gurung, ward chair of Pokhara-10, said the road expansion has opened up and enhanced intersections by removing structures like statues. Authorities have widened intersections such as Amarsingh Chowk, Arghau Chowk, Buddha Chowk, and Tal Chowk by demolishing structures that violated regulations. "Wider roads increase the risk of accidents, so it is essential to raise awareness about road safety," Gurung said.
