Bhairahawa, July 30

The task of upgrading the Bhairahawa-Lumbini-Taulihawa postal road has picked up a pace of late.

According to Bhairahawa-Lumbini-Taulihawa Road Upgradation Project Chief Rajendra Prasad Poudel, clearing of obstacles on the to-be-upgraded stretch is now over in the first phase of the work. “Trees, telephone and power lines have been cleared, and culverts have been constructed at necessary points,” he said.

As per the project, the road between Bhairahawa’s Buddha Chowk to the Gautam Buddha International Airport will be upgraded into a 6-lane expressway. Similarly, while the Airport-Lumbini stretch will be turned into a four-lane, the remaining stretch to Taulihawa of Kapilvastu will be upgraded into two lanes.

“As for now, the Bhairawa-Lumbini road is two-lane, while the Lumbini-Taulihawa road is a single lane road. But, the six-lane road will feature green belts in the middle, two express lanes and a service lane on either side,” said Poudel, adding that some 36 passenger lounges will be built and 5,100 trees will be planted along the upgraded road stretch.

As for the landowners whose lands fall on the road, the road project will be providing them compensation as per the Land Acquisition Act 1977.

Upon construction, the road is expected to promote tourism and business-related activities in Bhairahawa, Lumbini and Taulihawa and places in the vicinity, besides adding to the beauty and easing travel.

The expected cost of the road being built with the financial support of the Asian Development Bank is 1.93 billion rupees.

Indian company Gawar Construction Limited of Gurgaon has entrusted with the construction and is expected to wrap up the project by December 2019.