KATHMANDU, July 7: The government is considering shifting the starting point of the Kathmandu-Tarai/Madhesh Fast Track from Khokana in Lalitpur to Chobhar in a move aimed at better connecting the national pride project to Kathmandu's Ring Road and maximizing the value of the state's investment of hundreds of billions of rupees.
The National Planning Commission (NPC) and the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development have begun discussions on extending the expressway to Chobhar and connecting it to Balkhu in Kathmandu.
Officials from the NPC and the ministry held discussions on the proposal on Monday. The NPC also held talks with some residents of Khokana the same day.
"The Fast Track must be connected to the Ring Road at some point. If the expressway ends in the middle without linking to the Ring Road, the government's investment of hundreds of billions of rupees in the project will lose much of its value," said Arjun Jung Thapa, a member of the NPC. "That is why the Planning Commission and the ministry are discussing making Chobhar the starting point of the Fast Track."
According to Thapa, once Chobhar becomes the starting point, the government plans to upgrade the approximately four-kilometer road from Chobhar to Balkhu into a four-lane road, allowing the Fast Track to connect directly with Balkhu.
"Earlier, under the concept of the Outer Ring Road, Khokana in Lalitpur was proposed as the starting point of the Fast Track. Since the Outer Ring Road is unlikely to be built, the Fast Track must instead be connected to the existing Inner Ring Road," Thapa said.
If Chobhar is designated as the starting point, the total length of the Fast Track will increase by about 1.5 kilometers, as the distance between Khokana and Chobhar is approximately 1.5 kilometers.
NPC suggests Army open two-lane Fast Track within two years
NPC recommends awarding contracts in less disputed areas
The Nepali Army, which is responsible for constructing the Fast Track, has yet to begin work on the 6.5-kilometer section between Dukuchhap and Khokana due to disputes over land compensation and local opposition.
Local residents have maintained that cultural heritage sites should not be destroyed in the name of constructing the Fast Track, preventing construction from moving forward. The dispute with local communities remains unresolved.
However, officials say disputes are relatively minor along about three kilometers of the stretch.
"The Planning Commission has advised the Nepali Army, through the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development, to immediately award contracts and begin construction in areas where there are no disputes or where disputes are minimal," Thapa said. "That is why we have recommended awarding contracts immediately for the three-kilometer section."
Proposal prepared to extend deadline by three years
A government source said it has become clear that the Fast Track will not be completed within the current deadline.
"A proposal has therefore been prepared to extend the deadline by another three years. The project's physical progress currently stands at around 48 percent," the source said.
Since construction is unlikely to be completed by the current deadline of mid-April 2027, preparations are underway to seek a three-year extension.
The Nepali Army was assigned responsibility for constructing the Fast Track on May 4, 2017, with the objective of connecting Kathmandu to the Tarai/Madhesh region. Since then, the project's deadline has already been extended twice.
Initially, the Army was given four years to complete the project, requiring completion by mid-May 2021. However, citing delays in preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR), it failed to meet that deadline.
The completion deadline was then extended until mid-December 2024. As it again became clear that the project would not be completed within the revised timeframe, the government granted a second extension until mid-April 2027.
With only about nine months remaining before the current deadline expires, officials acknowledge that completion within the stipulated period is highly unlikely, as less than half of the project has been completed. Another deadline extension is therefore considered inevitable. Even if the deadline is extended by three more years, officials are not certain the project will be completed within that timeframe.
Project cost continues to rise
The state's investment in the Fast Track has continued to increase. Around Rs 100 billion has already been spent on the project.
According to the latest revised estimate, the total project cost has reached Rs 213 billion, and a senior ministry official said the cost is certain to increase further.
When the project was first proposed, the estimated construction cost was Rs 85 billion.
