The Department of Roads has announced the temporary closure of a 13-kilometer stretch of the Daunne section along the Narayangarh-Butwal road to expedite long-delayed construction and upgrading work. The move comes after mounting concerns over hazardous travel and working conditions caused by dust pollution and frequent vehicle breakdowns.
The affected segment, from Bardaghat to Dumkiwas, will remain closed for 19 days starting Wednesday, April 9. Closures will occur in phases at varying intervals during the day and night. The decision was finalized during a meeting held on Saturday, April 5, attended by the Chief District Officer of Nawalparasi, local security chiefs, municipal leaders, representatives from the Road Department’s Project Directorate (operating under the Asian Development Bank), and project consultants.
According to the Project Directorate’s notice, the first phase of the closure will restrict vehicular movement from 11 AM to 3 PM between April 9 and 13. In the second phase, from April 14 to 28, the road will be closed between 11 PM to 5 AM.
Construction crews have been operating in poor visibility, and a subcontractor working with the main Chinese contractor reported that many laborers have abandoned the site due to the severe pollution. Tents erected for workers are shrouded in dust, barely visible in the thick haze.
Once completed, the road will be expanded to a three-lane highway. At present, the narrow two-lane road regularly experiences severe traffic jams, often lasting for hours when large vehicles break down.
The main contractor, China State Construction Engineering Corporation Limited, has faced increasing criticism for failing to implement proper dust and pollution control measures.
The resulting air pollution has reportedly caused health issues among workers and added to the already worsening air quality across the region—exacerbated by a prolonged dry spell and widespread forest fires.
Despite the challenges, partial blacktopping of the road has begun, offering some respite for commuters. Sitaram Bhusal, a long-distance driver on the Arghakhanchi-Kathmandu route, noted that his usual 12-hour trip now takes 15 to 16 hours. However, he acknowledged modest improvements in recently blacktopped stretches.
In some areas, particularly between Daunne Market and Binayi Bridge, visibility is so poor due to dust that drivers are forced to use headlights even during the day.
The original contract, signed on March 22, 2019, set a completion deadline of August 7, 2022, but persistent delays have pushed the timeline back multiple times. Although the government has now extended the deadline to mid-August 2025, Project Directorate Chief Chuda Raj Dhakal revealed that the contractor has committed to completing the work by mid-August 2026.
Dhakal attributed the slow initial progress—only 15 percent completion in the first three and a half years—to frequent budget delays and work stoppages lasting up to six months. However, he claimed that construction has picked up pace since the contractor secured additional funding from its head office.
The broader project spans a 64.42-kilometer eastern section (Gaindakot–Daunne) and a 48.58-kilometer western section (Daunne–Butwal), with a total contract value of Rs 16.99 billion.
Authorities are hopeful that the current push will mitigate the risk of muddy, impassable roads during the upcoming monsoon season and alleviate the difficulties currently endured by travelers and workers alike.
