Kathmandu, July 3

Kathmandu Valley Development Authority (KVDA) is preparing to form consumer committees for Chobhar-Satungal section of Outer Ring Road Project, following which the authority will kickstart the mega project from October.

The authority is planning to form a total of 12 consumers committees — one each for every 500 metres of the 6.6-kilometre Chobhar-Satungal section, out of the total 72-kilometre-long Outer Ring Road Project.

Stating that formation of the consumer committees will be a ‘milestone’ for project construction and ‘create more pressure to replicate the process on other sections too’ Dhruba Sapkota, acting project manager of Outer Ring Road Development Project (ORRDP), informed that the committees will provide necessary facilitation for land acquisition and other basic works.

According to the detail project report (DPR) of the project approved by the government on April 26, 7,800 ropanis would be needed to construct the Chobhar-Satungal section. For this, KVDA will initiate the land acquisition process in the next fiscal year, which begins on July 15.

The government is planning to develop wider roads and integrated settlements on either side of the Outer Ring Road.

The consumer committees and ORRDP will jointly fix the boundaries of land and the number of houses that would need to be demolished to implement the project.

“As per our initial estimates, approximately 200 houses would need to be demolished on the Chobhar-Satungal section,” Sapkota said. According to him, ORRDP will set up a compensation rate fixation committee to determine the compensation amount to be handed out to the affected homeowners.

ORRDP will be responsible to open the track of the 72 kilometre-long project in the initial phase. It will also have to construct the retention walls on both sides of the 50-metre-wide road in this phase.

During the second phase of the project, the road will be black-topped and four flyovers will be built on major junctions.

“Flyovers will be constructed at Thankot, Bhaktapur, Balaju and Khokana — the major intersections between highways and Outer Ring Road,” Sapkota said.

China Humanities Diplomatic Promotion Association and China Nuclear Engineer and Construction Group Corporation have expressed interest to work in second phase of the project.

The Chinese firms have sent the letters of intent to Ministry of Urban Development and the ministry has forwarded the proposals of Chinese firms to ORRDP. However, the implementing agency has not taken any decision on it till date, informed Sapkota.

According to project officials, the Outer Ring Road will pass through Chobhar, Gamcha, Satungal, Naikap-Purano Bhanjhang, Sitapaila, Nagarjun, Nepaltar, Gongabu, Tokhagaun, Chapali, Kapan, Jagdol, Sandol and Thalidachi in Kathmandu district.

Similarly, it will pass Lubhu, Thaiba, Dhapakhel, Thecho, Bungmati and Chobhar in Lalitpur and through Gamphedi, Pakaunepati, Bansbari, Yangdol, Masandol, Bhatedhikuro, Naya Thimi and Dadhikot in Bhaktapur.