The upgradation work of the 45 km eastern section of the East-West Highway under construction from Kakdvitta to Padajungi under the Asian Highway is progressing at a slow pace.
With the help of Asian Development Bank, the project directorate of the road department is upgrading the road in that section as an Asian highway through a contract. Avrascan Kalika JV has been awarded the construction contract . Kakdavitta-Laukhi Road Plan (Eastern Section) Project Chief Engineer of Fire Department Sunil Babu Pant said that the progress of road upgrading is only 15 percent so far. According to him, based on the construction period, at least 20 percent progress should have been made so far.
Avraskan Kalika JV had entered into an agreement with the government on 2nd November 2080 for the construction of the said road and it is mentioned in the agreement that the construction work should be completed by 19th January 2083 . The project chief Pant said that the company that took the contract has been instructed to speed up the construction work and meet the target. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli formally laid the foundation stone of the road at Padajungi of Kamal Rural Municipality on 9th June 2081.
There is only 12 percent progress in the first year of the road construction contract and if there is no significant progress this year too, it will be difficult to complete the project within the next one year and 10 months . "Now the weather is favorable for work", Pant said while pressuring Avraskan Kalika JV to speed up the work. We are pressing .'
Culverts, bridges and soil filling are currently being done . So far, 93 of the 143 culverts have been completed. 17 out of 18 small bridges are under construction. The company is also using state-of-the-art equipment in construction. So far, the construction progress of the bridge is only 13 percent. With the loan support of the Asian Development Bank and the partnership with the Government of Nepal, the contract for culverts and small bridges along with roads has been awarded for 34 billion 90 million rupees.
Another company has got the contract for Kankai, Biring and Nindakhola bridges . Panth, head of Kakdavitta-Laukhi road plan (Eastern section) fire department, said that it is difficult to work after the onset of snow, so the work speed has been increased before that. The goal of the project is to blacken at least 10 kilometers of the highway in the current financial year.
The construction work of 'Elephant Under Pass' in the Charali forest of that road section is also going on in full swing. Project Chief Pant informed that 'Elephant Under Pass' is being constructed according to the government's wildlife-friendly infrastructure physical structure construction standards. According to him, 'Elephant Under Pass' is being built with a height of six and a half meters and a length of 15 meters. Which will be one and a half meters higher than the road under construction .
