The project implementation agreement for the expansion of the second section of the Ring Road has been signed. With this, the way has been cleared for the Road Department to proceed with the contract process. The agreement was signed between Minister for Physical Infrastructure, Transport and Urban Development Sunil Lamsal and Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chang Maoming on Wednesday. 

It took 6 years to complete the work after the construction of the 10.39 km road from Koteshwor to Kalanki began in 2069. The contract for the first section of Koteshwor-Kalanki began in 2069 and was completed in 2075. The expansion of the second section of 8.2 km (Kalanki-Basundhara) was supposed to begin immediately, but the work could not gain momentum due to delays by the Nepalese government and then China. 

After signing the agreement, Minister Lamsal expressed his commitment to resolve any problems that arise during the implementation of the project within a day and provide necessary facilitation. He said that the construction of the north-south road connecting the country is a priority for the government and that the Chinese government is expecting additional investment in Nepal's infrastructure development. Similarly, Chinese Ambassador Maoming said that many Chinese teams are willing to invest in Nepal if a suitable investment environment is created. Joint Secretary and Spokesperson of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport Ramhari Pokharel said that it has become easier to proceed with the construction work since the implementation agreement has been signed. 

The ministry has stated that the Chinese government will provide a grant of about 11 billion rupees for the expansion of the second section. After 8 years of the completion of the first section expansion, the work on the expansion of the second section is finally going ahead. The road is going to be expanded on 8.2 kilometers of the Kalanki-Basundhara section. The road expansion work will only be done from Kalanki to near the Bashundhara Chowk. A G2G agreement was signed with China in 2018 for the expansion of this road section. The Chinese government had been taking a stand that it would not come without completing the preparatory work. 

Meanwhile, due to the Corona epidemic, further work could not proceed. The Nepalese government was also facing a lot of difficulties in completing the preparatory work. After that, the process was prolonged again, and the construction work has not started yet. In the meantime, there was some delay after the Chinese government demanded a decision on tax exemption on construction materials. 

The government's decision on construction materials and customs exemption from the Cabinet meeting on 12 February paved the way for further processes to be taken for the expansion of the second section of the Ring Road. The Road Department says that the decision for that section was made by the Cabinet as the grant amount will not be used for tax purposes as per the foreign aid policy. 

Since the agreement on project implementation has been signed, now the Chinese technician will submit the design to the Road Department through the embassy, ​​said Arjun Prasad Aryal, Head of the Road Department's Development Assistance Implementation Division. For this, the Ministry will first inform the Department that the implementation agreement has been signed. 

‘After the final design is submitted to the Road Department, if there are any additions or changes, we will give it a final shape by immediately giving suggestions,’ Aryal said, ‘After that, after the design and bid documents are approved and sent, the work of selecting a construction company and consultant from China will begin.’ A Chinese technical team had come to Nepal on 6 Baisakh 2082 to survey the second section of the ring road. 

The team had completed the survey for the design in two and a half months. ‘There is not much work left to do now to start construction,’ Aryal said, ‘Within the current fiscal year, a contract agreement will be signed and construction contractors will be mobilized to the work site.’ As per the design prepared by the Chinese technician, a concrete bridge will be built on the Dhungedhara stream. Three flyovers will be made disabled-friendly. A flyover will be built between Sitapaila, Balaju and Machhapokhari and between Samakhusi-Basundhara police station. The design includes street lights from Kalanki to Bashundhara Chowk to be built by China during the road expansion. Aryal clarified that there may be some ups and downs when it is finalized after coming to the design department.