Construction of the four-lane flyover project at the Gwarko intersection in Lalitpur, one of the busiest intersections along the Ring Road has been stalled for the last four months, causing increasing traffic congestion along the busy Koteshwar-Kalanki road section. The project, which began in February 2022, has faced significant delays due to technical issues and the monsoon season, leaving the flyover incomplete and commuters frustrated.

According to the Quality Research and Development Centre under the Department of Roads, construction halted in the last week of May after the monsoon rains began, preventing the critical task of filling the ramp with a gravel-soil mixture. Director Prabhat Kumar Jha stated that the filling of the approach road could not proceed due to rain. Although the installation of parapet walls has continued, major construction work will only resume after Dashain.

The project, initiated under the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) model, was expected to be completed by February 2024. However, delays related to design changes have pushed back the completion date. Ashish-Samanantar-Religare JV, the contractor responsible for the project, faced design issues that led to a halt in work for 13 months.

Project Manager Bishal Karki of Ashish-Samanantar-Religare JV reported that Rs440 million has already been spent, exceeding the contract's original value of Rs176 million. Karki blamed the Department of Roads for underestimating costs and requiring late-stage design changes, which caused significant delays and financial strain on the contractor.

“This is a new type of project, and we bid based on the department’s cost estimate. Several key factors were missed, leading to costly design revisions,” Karki said, adding that the contractor has been continuing work despite the financial losses.

Currently, 80 percent of the physical construction is complete, with the ramp expected to be 10.2 meters tall and reinforced with polymer materials. However, with the monsoon still lingering, the remaining work is scheduled to resume only after Dashain, with the new completion deadline extended to December.

Jha assured that all work will be completed by December, and any delays beyond that will result in penalties for the contractor.

The flyover, once completed, is expected to alleviate traffic congestion on the Koteshwar-Kalanki road, but until then, daily commuters will continue to face significant delays.