Construction work on the 160 km highway had begun with a financial assistance of the Japanese government. Although the Highway has been opened for vehicular movement, it is yet to formally come into operation.

While three sections of the Highway that is divided into four sections have already been handed over to the Nepal government, the BP highway project stated they were preparing to hand over the remaining Khurkot-Nepalthok Highway to the government after doing the finishing touches on the road.

The highway project said that they had opened the Bardibas-Sindhuli-Dhulikhel (BP) Highway for vehicular movement after organising an unofficial programme following completion of the construction work at Sandi in Dumja VDC of Sindhuli.

According to the road project, the Japanese construction company Hazama Ando JV had been preparing to handover the road to the government on March 15, 2015.

“Just about 300 metre section of the BP Highway in Khurkot-Nepalthok section is yet to be completed. However, as an alternative route in Sandi had been constructed and that work on lower section has also been completed, the highway was opened for vehicles,” said engineer Gopal Prasad Wagle of the BP Highway project.

Stating that approximately Rs 20 billion has been spent for the construction of the highway, project chief Bharat Kaji Deuju said that apart from compensation expenses and royalties for land and other structures along the route that was borne by the government, all other expenses were covered by the Japanese government. The Nippon Koei company has been acting as the consultant for the road project.

Meanwhile, latest technologies such as ‘shotcrete’, which has been deemed effective in controlling landslides, and ‘geotech’, used to strengthen and stabilise the road surface, has been used at various sections of the Highway.

The project said this is the first time that such technologies have been used for road construction in Nepal. Along with providing short and easy access, the BP Highway, which connects inner areas of Mahottari, Dhanusha, Sindhuli and Kavre districts, is expected to be crucial in the development of the country, Deuju said.

Although the Highway was set to be constructed in 1958 during the tenure of the then Prime Minister BP Koirala, the project had sinked into oblivion following the political change in 1960.

The project that had remained in limbo for 37 years after that had been rejuvenated with financial assistance from the Japanese government in 1996.