Nepal’s first 800-metre underpass between Khasi Bazaar and Bafal Chowk that opened for trials last week remains closed since Wednesday morning, creating long traffic snarls in the area.

Kathmandu Ring Road Improvement Project (KRRIP) Project Manager Prakash Bhandari said, “The underpass needs minor finishing work, traffic sign boards and dividers. The pollution level is high in the area. This is why we have closed the underpass for few days. It will open within a week.” The first layer of asphalt is done on the underpass. The second layer of asphalting will be done on the mid-September, he said.

Officials said the underpass will open on December 5. June 29 was the original date of opening. Officials attributed the delay to ‘technical reasons”.

Closure of the underpass has disrupted the smooth flow of traffic in Kalanki. Metropolitan Traffic Police (Kalanki) Inspector Bimal Thapa said, “The opening of the underpass was a great relief to motorists and commuters using public transport. Vehicles coming from Balkhu and heading to Bafal and vice versa progressed smoothly. Now traffic jams have started again.”

The Metropolitan Traffic Police Division’s data shows around 70,000 people travel daily in over 8,000 public and private vehicles through Kalanki. On average, people endure two-hour traffic jams.

The Kalanki underpass is the part of 10.5km Kalanki-Koteshwor road along the Ring Road built using China’s grant of Rs5.13 billion. The subway work started in 2013.