KATHMANDU, JANUARY 27
Approximately 35 percent of the construction work on the Kakadbhitta–Laukahi section of the Asian Highway has been completed within two years.
The project aims to enhance regional connectivity by linking multiple Asian countries through an integrated road network.
According to Jagat Prajapati, Chief of the West Section Office in Itahari, single-lane blacktopping has commenced westward from Padajungi in Jhapa since Sunday. Although the entire 120-kilometre Kakadbhitta–Laukahi stretch under Asian Highway No. 2 is scheduled for upgrading, construction activities are currently ongoing on only 95.76 kilometres, he added.
The project has been divided into two segments - the East Section and the West Section - to facilitate smoother implementation. Single-lane blacktopping of approximately 20 kilometres has already been completed in both sections, Prajapati noted.
Meanwhile, Sunil Babu Panta, Chief of the East Section Office in Damak, reported that around 35 percent of construction work in the eastern section has also been completed. He emphasized that progress could accelerate significantly if the supply of construction materials remains uninterrupted.
Panta further stated that about 80 percent of electric pole relocation has been completed in the East Section, while 40 percent has been completed in the West Section. Additionally, 23 percent of large bridge construction has been completed in the East Section, compared to 25 percent in the West Section, according to project officials.
The Asian Highway corridor begins in Bangkok, Thailand, and extends to Karachi, Pakistan, passing through Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, Nepal's East–West Highway from Kakadbhitta, and Delhi, India.
Construction officially commenced on February 2, 2024, with financial support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the project is targeted for completion within three years. The estimated project cost stands at USD 300 million.
Upon completion, the road width will be expanded to 50 metres in urban areas, 24 metres in forested regions, and 33 metres in rural areas.
(With inputs from Rastriya Samchar Samiti)
