The government is set to invite bids for the reconstruction of a section of the BP Highway from Bhakundebenshi to Nepalthok, which was severely damaged by floods and landslides in late September last year. The Department of Roads is preparing to issue four contracts worth Rs 8.5 billion for the 28-kilometer (km) road section by Wednesday.

According to Arjun Prasad Aryal, Deputy Director General and Spokesperson for the Department of Roads, the bidding process is in its final stage, and the notice will be published by mid-March. He added that three of the four contracts will be handled by the Road Division Office, Bhaktapur, while the remaining one will be overseen by the Road Division Office, Khurkot. The reconstruction work will be carried out by Nepali construction firms. Aryal explained that issuing a single contract worth Rs 8.5 billion would have caused delays and regulatory challenges, so the project has been divided into four separate packages.

On February 18, the Ministry of Finance allocated Rs 18.88 billion for the reconstruction of 26 infrastructure projects damaged by floods and landslides, including the BP Highway. Following this resource allocation, the Department of Roads has finalized preparations to invite contracts for the reconstruction.

As part of the long-term plan to upgrade the 160-km highway connecting the eastern Terai to Kathmandu, the first phase of expansion will focus on the damaged 28-km section. The detailed project report (DPR) has been revised with a new design, reducing the estimated cost from Rs 9.66 billion. The updated design incorporates technology to minimize future flood damage and increase the road’s durability.

The BP Highway was originally constructed with Japanese assistance and was designed with an intermediate lane width of six meters, rather than a full two-lane road. The revised plan aims to expand the blacktop width to nine meters, meeting two-lane road standards. Suman Yogesh, chief of the Road Division Office, Bhaktapur, noted that previous designs did not account for factors such as scour depth—an important consideration in areas where water flow can weaken the road’s foundation. The new design includes modifications to enhance the highway’s resilience against erosion and flooding.