Deadline for Expanding Sanga-Dhulikhel Road Extended by One Year

The expansion of the Sanga–Dhulikhel section of the Arniko Highway has been delayed due to obstruction by local residents, leaving commuters and nearby communities exposed to dust and traffic congestion. After missing the initial three-year deadline, which expired on December 12, project officials have pledged to complete the remaining work within the extended timeframe of one year—an uphill task, as around 40 percent of the road upgrade is still unfinished.

Upgrading the eight-kilometre Sanga–Dhulikhel stretch, part of the Suryabinayak–Dhulikhel road corridor, began on December 13, 2022, with a completion deadline of December 12, 2025. However, only 60 percent of the work has been completed so far. The delay was largely due to a dispute with local residents over the road’s centre line in Pulbazar area of Banepa, which halted construction on a 300-metre section for over one and a half years. Work resumed only after stakeholders and authorities reached an agreement.

According to the state-run national news agency RSS, Lama Construction Pvt Ltd is executing the project worth Rs 4.06 billion. The company’s manager Rabindra Shrestha told RSS that the overall physical progress has reached 60 percent, with non-asphalt works nearly 90 percent complete. Asphalt paving has so far been done on around one kilometre each in the Dhulikhel area and the Pulbazar section.

Project chief Bijay Kumar Mahato said the first section from Sanga to Dhulikhel has achieved 60 percent progress, while work on the second section—from Suryabinayak to Sanga—stands at 45 percent.

Meanwhile, residents and commuters continue to face severe inconvenience due to dust pollution during dry seasons and slippery condition of road during the rainy season along with traffic congestion caused by the prolonged construction. Locals have repeatedly raised concerns over air pollution and its impact on daily life, businesses, and road safety.

The second section—Suryabinayak–Sanga, spanning 7.5 kilometres—was contracted at Rs 3.89 billion, with its deadline set for January 1.

The Department of Roads had initiated the process to expand the road from Dhulikhel of Kavre to Suryabinayak in Bhaktapur via Banepa some years ago taking into consideration huge traffic pressure along this strategic road.  -- With inputs from RSS