Traffic congestion in the Gwarko area along the Koteshwor-Kalanki road has worsened as construction work on the overpass has remained stagnant for over a month. The project, which began in February 2022 with a two-year completion target, is now significantly delayed.

The Department of Roads’ Quality, Research, and Development Centre has confirmed that the contractor has not been working for the past month. Prior to this, work had already been suspended for four months due to the monsoon. Although occasional progress was observed, the overall pace of construction remained sluggish.

Previously, former director Prabhat Kumar Jha had stated that the contractor had abandoned the site without notice. The Centre had issued two formal notices to the contractor, urging them to resume work. Jha, who was recently transferred to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, had also highlighted flaws in the completed sections of the project.

Ashish-Samanantar-Religare JV was awarded the contract for Rs170.68 million, with Religare Construction handling most of the work. Initially, the overpass was to be completed by February 2024. Following delays, an extension was granted until July 2024, then again until December 2024. When the deadline was missed, penalties were imposed, and the contractor assured completion by April 2025. However, work has since slowed further.

According to Arjun Prasad Aryal, deputy director-general and spokesperson for the Department of Roads, penalties imposed on the contractor for missing deadlines contributed to the slowdown. “The contractor has assured us they will resume work soon. The department has been in communication with them, and discussions are ongoing about technical issues in the design,” Aryal said.

Project manager Bishal Karki, representing the contractor, claimed that the work environment had been disrupted due to repeated testing demands from the authorities. “The previous project director had already approved certain aspects of the construction, yet the new leadership insisted on additional tests, delaying progress,” Karki stated. He further alleged that despite financial losses, the contractor was attempting to complete the project.

Meanwhile, Jha defended the Centre’s position, stating that quality inspections were necessary. “We have not introduced new tests, only asked for standard checks to ensure quality,” he asserted.

So far, Rs440 million has been spent on the project, with an estimated additional Rs150 million required. The overpass is planned to be 540 metres long, incorporating reinforced concrete panels and polymer reinforcement for ramps. These ramps, which are expected to rise up to 10.2 metres, remain unfinished. The Centre has also instructed that a 40-metre ramp at the Satdobato end be dismantled and reinstalled due to design issues.

Originally set to be operational before Dashain, the overpass remains incomplete, facing continued setbacks due to technical challenges and administrative disputes.