Construction of a flyover and underpass along the heavily congested Tinkune–Jadibuti section of Kathmandu’s Ring Road is unlikely to begin for another 18 months to two years, despite the government securing funding for the project.

The project will be implemented with concessional financing from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The Cabinet approved a concessional loan of 34.49 billion Japanese yen, equivalent to around Rs32.76 billion, from the Japanese government for the Koteshwar Intersection Improvement Project, clearing the way for implementation.

The loan documents were signed on December 3, 2025, by Japanese Ambassador Maeda Toru and Finance Secretary Ghanashyam Upadhyaya.

However, officials said several procedural and technical hurdles must still be cleared before construction can begin.

Arjun Prasad Aryal, chief of the Development Cooperation Implementation Division (DCID) at the Department of Roads, said discussions are underway on project execution due to overlapping land use within the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).

He said part of the project area falls under CAAN-owned land and also lies beneath the operational zone of Tribhuvan International Airport, requiring heightened safety measures and coordination.

“The JICA concessional loan has already been approved by the government,” he said. “Since part of the work must be carried out beneath the premises of Tribhuvan International Airport, a high degree of caution will be required.”

He added that construction activities will need to be scheduled within limited time windows to avoid disruption to air operations.

“Work will also need to be carried out during periods when aircraft are not operating, which could extend the project timeline,” he said. “Since construction will take place in a highly sensitive area near the airport, safety and security considerations will be paramount.”

Aryal said only after finalising a construction schedule will the government proceed with preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR).

He said some government-owned lands in the Tinkune area still need to be acquired. Officials are also deciding whether to purchase land belonging to CAAN or pursue alternative arrangements, and the matter is expected to be resolved within days.

The project requires the acquisition of around 31 ropanis (one ropani equals 0.05087 hectares) of CAAN land. Officials said CAAN has responded positively to the proposal.

According to the preliminary feasibility study, a 94-metre retaining wall will be constructed at the approach of the Bagmati bridge from New Baneshwar. This will be followed by a 665-metre flyover stretching from Tinkune to the vicinity of the Munibhairav Temple, according to Suresh Paudel, senior divisional engineer at DCID.

The flyover will be followed by a 100-metre retaining wall and a 600-metre underpass tunnel.

Paudel said the underpass will be a fully enclosed structure rather than an open design. “This will not be like the Kalanki underpass, which is open at the top,” he said. “The underpass here will be fully enclosed, more like a covered box structure.”

On the Jadibuti side, the project includes an additional 238-metre flyover linked by a 119-metre retaining wall.

JICA conducted a preliminary feasibility study over around 18 months. According to its assessment, the overall project is expected to take six years to complete.

Officials said the existing Munibhairav Temple falls within the planned alignment and will therefore be relocated slightly uphill.

The department said construction will be carried out in a way that minimises disruption to traffic along one of Kathmandu Valley’s busiest road sections.

“Even after completing all procurement and contracting procedures, it could take another 18 months to two years before construction begins,” Aryal said. “We also need consultations with all concerned agencies. Once those issues are settled, we will appoint a consultant and assign responsibility for preparing a DPR. That process alone could take between six months and a year.”

He said the department had originally planned to complete the design phase within the current fiscal year, but delays in procedural clearances mean the work is now expected to begin in the next fiscal year.

“We will determine the construction schedule in consultation with CAAN to ensure there is no disruption to airport operations,” Aryal said. “Only then will we know the final cost and construction timeline.”

He added that the department has formally sought CAAN’s opinion on the project.

Aryal said the Ministry of Finance has instructed the department to proceed with further preparations after the loan agreement was signed between senior officials of Nepal and Japan.

According to the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office, around 400 to 500 passenger vehicles use the Ring Road daily.

With the Ring Road expansion project continuing to face delays, stakeholders said work on the flyover and underpass should be expedited to ease chronic congestion at one of Kathmandu’s busiest intersections.

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