Had road widening work along the Butwal-Narayanghat section progressed as per the original project agreement, vehicles would now be moving smoothly. Instead, travelling the 114-kilometre long stretch of the East-West Highway, which should take around three hours, now routinely takes six to seven hours. During light rain or cold waves, crossing the Daunne stretch alone takes eight to nine hours.

On December 30, Binod Pariyar was returning home to Butwal from Kathmandu. He reached Dumkibas at around 10pm, but it took him another 10 hours to cover just seven kilometres up to the Daunne Temple. Riding on an electric van, Pariyar managed to inch forward through the narrow road, overtaking where possible, but traffic came to a complete standstill ahead. With no alternative, he and several passengers abandoned their vehicles and walked towards Bardaghat.

“The road was jammed, muddy and full of potholes. Even walking was difficult. It took us two hours on foot to reach Bardaghat. From there, we took another vehicle to Butwal,” said Pariyar.

What angered him (Pariyar) most was the lack of basic amenities. “It took 12 hours to cross 14 kilometres in normal winter conditions. No one managed the lanes. There is nowhere to buy food, nowhere to use a toilet. How long are passengers supposed to suffer like this? Where is the government, and what is it doing?” he vented his ire.

Such scenes have become routine at Daunne, located in a narrow hill stretch between Dumkibas and Bardaghat along the Butwal-Narayanghat road. Short-distance travellers bound for Rupandehi in the west or Chitwan in the east sometimes walk part of the way and switch vehicles. Long-distance passengers, however, have no such option. Some have been stranded in traffic for up to two days, often without food. For children, elderly people and the sick, the journey is like a harsh punishment.

Drivers share the same frustration while driving along the arduous road section. Kiran Giri, a truck driver from Gulmi district, regularly transports goods from Butwal and other western markets to Kathmandu. Whenever traffic snarls intensify at Daunne, heavy vehicles are stopped at Dumkibas or Bardaghat, with priority given to passenger buses. “Cargo trucks can be stuck on either side for up to four days. We face dust, health problems and daily uncertainty,” said Giri.

Unlike small vehicles, trucks are not air-conditioned. “Dust fills the cabin. After seven years on this stretch, I suffer from chronic cough and breathing problems. Without a mask, it’s impossible to drive,” Giri further shared his ordeal.

Passengers are often forced to wait for hours in the forested hills of Daunne, fearing slippery roads even after light rainfall. Many now check weather forecasts before travelling. The suffering is compounded by continued confusion over road design. Of the 14-kilometre Daunne section, four kilometres fall on the eastern side and 10 kilometres on the western side from Daunne. While the original contract specified blacktopping throughout, engineers later concluded that asphalt would not withstand landslides and subsidence, prompting a shift towards concrete pavement.

So far, two kilometres have been concreted on the eastern side. On the western side, three kilometres have been blacktopped, while another three kilometres are being paved with concrete. According to Pashupati Gyawali, chief of the western section of the Butwal-Narayanghat Road Expansion Project, a final decision on whether to blacktop or concrete the remaining four kilometres will be made after evaluating ongoing works in the January third week.

“Work is progressing rapidly in Daunne, but it will take some time before passengers feel real relief. The minister has shown keen interest. Once the design is finalised, our target is to complete the Daunne section by mid-July,” said Gyawali.

China State Construction Engineering Corporation, the contractor, is currently working in two shifts. Engineer Binit Koirala said day-and-night construction is underway, with approved works expected to be completed by the end of January 2026. Locals, however, remain sceptical, citing years of delays caused by indecision over design.

Traffic disruptions underscore the scale of the problem. According to the District Traffic Police Office in Nawalparasi East, the Daunne section was obstructed 32 times between July 17, 2025 and January 4, 2026. Narrow roads, retaining wall construction, culverts and concreting have reduced capacity, yet two-way traffic continues where only one lane is safely operable. Potholes, mud and dust cause frequent vehicle breakdowns, and even a single broken truck can trigger kilometre-long jams.

“The road condition is poor, and traffic volume is high as this is a major highway. We are managing traffic as best we can, but speeding up construction is the only long-term solution,” said Kushal Bartaula, chief of the District Traffic Police Office in Nawalparasi East.

Delays have plagued the project since its inception. The road, meant to be completed in 44 months, remains unfinished after seven years. Construction began in April 2019, with an initial completion deadline of August 2022. The deadline has since been extended four times, most recently to August 2026. Only 74 percent of the work has been completed.

The 114-kilometre project is divided into two packages: Package A covers 65 kilometres from Gaindakot to Daunne and Package B covers 49 kilometres from Daunne to Butwal. Funded by a loan from the Asian Development Bank, the total cost stands at Rs16.99 billion.

The absence of a viable alternative route has worsened the hardship. A potential detour via Bhutaha-Ambas-Dumkibas exists, but poor maintenance, narrow stretches and the lack of a bridge over the Gangate stream render it unusable during the monsoon. Only four kilometres of the 15-kilometre route are blacktopped.

Shambhu Lal Shrestha, mayor of Bardaghat Municipality, said all three tiers of government have neglected the alternative road. “Upgrading this route would ease Daunne’s burden and boost hill tourism. Local governments cannot do it alone,” he said.