April 29, Triveni (Nawalparasi) – As part of the Narayangadh–Butwal road expansion project, road safety measures have begun in areas where road construction has been completed. According to Shiv Khanal, Information Officer for the Eastern Section of the project, road safety-related work is currently underway at locations with finished construction in the Eastern Section.
The safety work includes painting white and yellow lane markings, coloring the central divider, installing cement barriers between the main and service roads, and placing speed limit signs. Additionally, railing installation, W-beam guardrails, and delineator poles are being set up along the road edges.
Khanal noted that since the road construction is in its final phase, road safety efforts are being prioritized. “Many construction tasks have reached their final stages, so we are giving precedence to road safety work,” he said. Of the 65 kilometers of road in the Nawalparasi Eastern Section, only about seven kilometers remain unpaved, while the rest have been blacktopped and formal roads are operational. The current physical progress of the Eastern Section stands at 81 percent.
Travel conditions are smooth across the Eastern Section except in the Daunne area. The contract for the Narayangadh–Butwal road expansion project was signed on January 7, 2019, with a target completion date of August 7, 2022. The China State Construction Corporation Pvt. Ltd. commenced this work, which is divided into two sections spanning a total of 113 kilometers. Due to delays, the deadline has been extended four times, with the latest extension carrying the deadline to August 2024.
Funded through a loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the total cost of both sections is NPR 1.699 billion. Of the 113 kilometers, 70 kilometers will feature four lanes, 29 kilometers will have four lanes plus dual three-to-six-meter-wide service lanes, and the 14-kilometer Daunne segment will be constructed with three lanes.
