The Road Division Office Bhaktapur has canceled the contract for the Dhulikhel-Khawa road expansion project along the Arniko Highway due to prolonged delays.
In a public notice issued Thursday, the office confirmed the termination of the four-kilometer expansion contract, citing the contractor's inability to complete the work despite multiple warnings.
The Dhulikhel-Khawa section is a critical route connecting Nepal to China via the Tatopani border in Sindhupalchok and linking the Kathmandu Valley with Dolakha and Ramechhap districts.
The contract was awarded to Gauri Parvati Nirman Sewa Pvt. Ltd. on June 3, 2022, with a deadline of April 1, 2024, at a cost of Rs 201.9 million. However, despite 11 months past the deadline, the project remains far from completion.
Frequent complaints from locals and travelers prompted the Parliamentary Infrastructure Committee to inspect the stalled progress. According to the state-owned RSS news agency, the Road Division had repeatedly urged the contractor to expedite work. A final clarification was sought on February 2, but the company’s response was deemed unsatisfactory, leading to the contract’s cancellation.
“We will initiate the re-tendering process within one to two weeks, with necessary adjustments based on the project's physical and financial progress,” said Suman Yogesh, Chief of the Road Division Office Bhaktapur, as quoted by RSS. “So far, only 25% of the financial progress has been achieved.”
The prolonged delay has caused severe inconvenience to travelers, leading to frequent accidents along the route. The project was intended to widen the road to 12 meters and blacktop it, improving safety and efficiency.
To ensure durability against heavy freight traffic, the division had planned to introduce a 20 cm cement-treated base layer on gravel, along with a two-layer asphalt pavement (DBM and asphalt concrete)—a first-of-its-kind approach in Nepal.
RSS
