Work to widen the Aanbukhaireni-Pokhara section of the Prithvi Highway to four lanes is moving at a snail’s pace. The work was started last year and has failed to achieve desired progress.

The road widening work along the 80km section is underway by dividing it into two parts—Aanbukhaireni-Jamune (41km) is the eastern part and the Jamune-Pokhara (39km) the western part.

The contract for the construction of the eastern part has been given to the Chinese Communication Construction Company at a cost of Rs 6.21 billion and the western part to another Chinese company Yanhui Kaiyun Highway and Bridge Construction at a cost of Rs 7.4 billion.

An important section of the Prithvi Highway, the lifeline of the Gandaki Province, the Muglin-Pokhara road section is 88 km out of which the Aanbukhaireni-Pokhara section covers 80 km.

The Department of Roads Project Directorate signed a contract for the construction of the western section with the construction company on May 17, 2021.

Six percent of the work was to be completed in a year in the western part, but actual progress has been just around one percent, said Narayan Poudel, an engineer with the western part of the road widening project.

Even though the contract was signed in May, the work was started only from mid-August, according to him.

“Soon after the work had started, it was the festival season and we could not mobilise the workers. Also, due to the pandemic, equipment and workers from China could not be brought to the site. And currently, the rainy season has hampered the work,” said Poudel.

Work on just a three-kilometre section has been completed so far although approximately 95 percent of the tree felling work has been completed, he added.

The completion deadline for the upgrade and widening work has been set for fiscal year 2028-29.

For road expansion, 138 physical structures, including houses and sheds should be demolished except for the Khairenitar market area on the western part. According to Paudel, the road project has approved a budget of Rs20.45 million to pay compensations for the structures to be demolished.

“Around Rs 4 million compensation has been distributed to 42 households so far. The compensation will be provided to other households soon,” said Paudel. According to him, 12 bridges will be constructed on the western part.

The road project claims that various obstacles have delayed the road widening work. Work was affected by the delay in shifting water pipes and other structures of several drinking water projects and cutting down trees on the roadside.

According to Poudel, there are around 30 drinking water projects from Jamune to Seti River Bridge. “Efforts are on to shift the structures of those drinking water projects in coordination with the local consumer committees,” said Paudel.

Another Chinese company, Communication Construction, signed the contract for the construction of the eastern section of the Aanbuukhaireni-Jamune road section on April 15, 2021.

According to Narendra Subedi, head of the eastern section of the road project, 17 percent of the contract amount was issued as advance to the contractor at the start of the project and the target was to complete 15 percent of the work in the first year.

“But only 3.5 percent progress has been made so far,” said Subedi.

According to him, the road widening work will gather momentum now as 95 percent of the trees have been felled in the eastern part. Eighteen small and big bridges will be built in the eastern part.

The Communication Construction company also points out the Covid-19 pandemic, demolition of various roadside structures and cutting down trees for the delay in the work.

According to Chintamani Sharma, resident specialist of the eastern part, about 505 houses and other physical structures will be demolished and they will have to pay around Rs60 million to pay compensation to those affected by the demolitions.

“So far, Rs35 million has been distributed in compensation,” he added.

About 72 km section of the 174 km-long Prithvi Highway falls in Tanahun district. This section includes small market areas such as Aanbukhaireni, Bimalnagar, Dumre, Chirkane, Ghasikuwa, Talghare, Damauli, Chapaghat, Jamune, Tharpu, Khairenitar, Dulegaunda and Kotre.

According to the Division Forest Office in Tanahun, about 6,750 trees will be cut down in Tanahun and 1,250 in Kaski district to widen the Muglin-Pokhara section of the Prithvi Hiway.

Design of the 8km Aanbukhaireni-Muglin section has yet to be finalised. The road project said that preparations are on to change the road alignment along the section due to the presence of the powerhouse of the Marsyangdi Hydropower Project.