Valley
Ring Road expansion resumes
Works to expand the Ring Road in Kathmandu Valley that were stalled due to the earthquakes and a fuel crisis caused by India’s unofficial blockade have resumed after nine months.Gaurav Thapa
Works to expand the Ring Road in Kathmandu Valley that were stalled due to the earthquakes and a fuel crisis caused by India’s unofficial blockade have resumed after nine months.
Widening of the 10-km Koteshwor-Kalanki section, which began in June 2013, was stopped in the aftermath of the April 25 earthquake. Later, the project failed to resume owing to a shortage of construction materials and the subsequent fuel crisis in the country.
The first phase of the Kathmandu Ring Road Improvement Project is being executed with a Chinese assistance—upgrading the existing two-lane road to eight lanes along with bicycle lanes and footpaths on both sides.
Lanes on the eight bridges along the section will also be added. The slow pace of work has greatly inconvenienced commuters and local residents as lanes have been dug on either side and construction materials stored on the roadsides.
KRRIP Project chief Ashok Tiwari said the road construction works began last week.
“Construction of substructures for all the eight bridges has been completed with only the superstructures remaining to be built,” he said.
The superstructure at Manohara Bridge near Koteshwor is being set up.
Third Railway Survey and Design Institute Group Corporation, a Chinese firm, designed the expansion while Chinese contractor Shanghai Construction Group has been tasked with completing the project.
The cost of the project scheduled to be completed by January 2018 is 312 million yuan (approx Rs5.13 billion).
According to the KRRIP, 50 percent work of opening the track on either side has been completed. Forty percent of wall construction, 30 percent of drainage construction and 40 percent of sub-grade construction is over.
“The total progress stands at 30 percent,” Tiwari said, hinting that the project completion might be delayed if hurdles like the current fuel crisis continue.