KATHMANDU, Dec 26: The Daunne section along the Butwal–Narayanghat stretch of the East–West Highway has become synonymous with hardship for travelers. For the past seven years, vehicles have routinely taken two to three hours to cross the 14-kilometre Daunne stretch due to persistent traffic congestion.
The suffering faced by travelers last year remains unchanged this year. Even when traffic moves, passengers are often forced to remain stuck inside vehicles for two to three hours. If a traffic jam occurs, the delay can be even longer.
Daunne is a small hilly section along the Butwal–Narayanghat road. In the name of road upgrading, the stretch has been dug up at multiple points. Excavators and bulldozers are seen digging soil and piling it along the road under the pretext of asphalt paving and culvert construction. This digging and piling has continued for a long time, resulting in vehicles being stuck in traffic for hours.
Houses, hotels, and shops along the road are covered in dust. Some sections are paved, while others are strewn with stones. Vehicles themselves are coated in dust. Not only travelers but residents are also suffering equally. The situation gives the impression that the government is absent.
“Traveling on this road was painful last year, and it’s the same now—nothing has improved,” said Kumar Rai, a microbus driver who regularly operates on the highway.
Traffic to be suspended in Daunne area
The journey becomes even more dangerous during the monsoon and winter seasons. The road is winding, and when it becomes slippery, dusty, or muddy, drivers face extreme difficulties.
Large trucks and vehicles with Indian number plates frequently use this stretch, adding to the trouble faced by smaller vehicles. The risk of vehicle damage is high, and unsafe road conditions have led to a rise in traffic accidents. Two-wheelers suffer the most on this section.
Project division and progress
The Daunne section has been divided into two parts under the Narayanghat–Butwal road expansion project. Of the 113-kilometre Butwal–Narayanghat stretch, the eastern section covers 64.425 kilometers, while the western section covers 48.535 kilometers. Within Daunne, four kilometers fall under the eastern section, and the remaining 10 kilometers under the western section.
According to Chudaraj Dhakal, Chief of the ADB Directorate under the Department of Roads, the hardship currently faced at Daunne will ease by mid-March 2026.
“At present, culvert construction and concrete works are ongoing in the Daunne section. Traffic congestion occurs because the road is intermittently reduced to one lane during construction,” Dhakal said. “This suffering will not last long. It will be resolved by mid-March.”
He said around 80 percent of the work in Daunne has already been completed. “So far, 112 culverts have been constructed. Only two small bridges and one culvert remain, along with some concrete works,” he said.
After the upgrade, the road at Daunne will be 12 meters wide with three lanes, according to Dhakal.
Delays despite multiple extensions
Despite seven years having passed since the contract was signed with China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) to upgrade the Butwal–Narayanghat section, only about half of the work was completed initially. The government extended the project deadline for the fourth time in August last year.
According to officials at the Department of Roads, the latest deadline has been extended by one year, to complete the entire project within that period. The final deadline for the western section has been set for July 21, 2026, while the eastern section is scheduled for completion on July 23, 2026.
The contract for upgrading the section was first signed on December 19, 2018, at a cost of Rs 17.02 billion.
Dhakal said overall progress on the Butwal–Narayanghat road has now reached around 80 percent.
“Service lane construction is currently underway, and most of the asphalt paving has already been completed. Since service lanes are still pending, overall progress stands at about 80 percent,” he said.
