Sindhulimadi, August 29

Repair of BP Highway, which was damaged by the massive earthquake of April and May this year, has kicked off.

Earlier, certain sections of the Sindhuli-Khurkot road section of the highway that joins Bardibas and Dhulikhel through Sindhuli had caved in due to the massive quakes of April 25 and May 12, affecting vehicular movement on the highway, a Japan-funded project awaiting formal handover to the government of Nepal.

The road section had suffered serious cave-ins at 12 places and bends, which had obstructed vehicular movement on the route. Now, the road project has started its work at four places on the basis of priority in view of the damage caused.

The project is said to have intensified repair works in view of the possibility of further damage to the road by rainwater seeping into the cracks on the road. The approaching major festivals and increase in vehicular movement has also prodded the project authority to initiate the work immediately.

According to project chief Bharatkaji Debaju, once the tentative repair is complete its permanent repair will start after the festivals, Dashain and Tihar.

“We’ve already selected companies for the repairs and hope the road will come to its original shape soon,” he said.