POKHARA, June 11: The construction deadline for the Seti Bridge at Prithvi Chowk in Pokhara, along the Prithvi Highway, has been extended for a second time.
The deadline for the bridge project, being built under the western section of the Muglin–Pokhara Road Project, has now been pushed to March 5, 2027.
A contract was signed on September 11, 2022, to construct two 190-meter concrete bridges, one upstream and one downstream of the existing Seti bridge, at a cost of Rs 1.07 billion.
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The project, being implemented by the Department of Roads with loan assistance from the Asian Development Bank, was originally scheduled for completion within three years under a contract awarded to M/S Rasuwa Construction Company Pvt Ltd. However, after the contractor failed to complete the work on time, the deadline was first extended in September 2025.
Project Chief Krishna Bahadur Kunwar of the Muglin–Pokhara Road Project (Western Section) said the bridge has achieved around 61 percent physical progress so far. He expressed confidence that the project can now be completed within the revised deadline as all major obstacles have been removed.
One of the main delays stemmed from the need to demolish two houses on the northern side of the Seti River to provide road access to property owners and car-wash businesses, in line with Asian Development Bank policies. Disputes over compensation and resettlement delayed the process for months.
According to Kunwar, landowners Kedar Paudel and Madhav Paudel have recently accepted compensation and committed to vacating the structures by mid-June, clearing the way for construction.
The contractor had also cited delays in importing materials from China and relocating drinking water pipelines as reasons for the slow progress.
"The landowners were unwilling to accept the compensation amount fixed by the authorities, which also obstructed construction. They have now received compensation, and there are no remaining issues at the site. Work is unlikely to face further interruptions," Kunwar said.
So far, construction crews have completed all 120 pile foundations, pile caps, and four bridge towers. Girder and cross girder installation have also been completed on one of the two bridges.
