Kathmandu, July 10

As part of its plan to expand the 90-kilometre Kathmandu- Mugling stretch into four lanes, the government has initiated the study to widen the road section from Thankot to Mugling.

According to Gopal Sigdel, director general of Department of Roads (DoR), the government has started the feasibility study of the project, which includes viability of a 40-kilometre road section from Thankot to Mugling that would run parallel to the Trishuli River.

Government plans to finalise the feasibility study within the next six months. “The detailed project report, which will finalise cost and dates of beginning and ending the upgradation process, will be prepared based of this feasibility study,” he added.

“The feasibility study will look into construction of a new 40-kilometre road section along the Trishuli River,” Sigdel said.

The government has been conducting the study to look into two options — constructing a parallel road next to the Trishuli River or digging a short tunnel on the major turning of the road section. “The government will decide on the best option based on the study findings,” he added.

The Thankot to Mugling road section is one of the busiest in Nepal, with over 7,000 vehicular movements recorded in a day, and connects the Capital with most parts of the country.

According to Sigdel, the government plans to upgrade and widen the road sections that have more than 4,000 vehicular movements per day. “In the Thankot to Mugling section, there are a number of difficult curves that need to be upgraded,” he added.

The section of the road that connects Mugling with Narayangadh of Chitwan is being upgraded, with 50 per cent of the total work completed so far. The upgradation of this project is being funded by World Bank.

The government had planned to complete the physical construction of the Mugling- Narayangadh section within two years of its beginning date, which was in July 2015. However, the project was delayed by nine months due to the devastating quake, followed by trade disruptions. Now, DoR has set the new target to complete the upgrading process of this highway by December 2017.