Blacktopping Begins on Dhulikhel-Khawa Section of Araniko Highway

Kavrepalanchok. Blacktopping work has commenced today on the Dhulikhel-Khawa road section in Kavrepalanchok, which is part of the ongoing Araniko Highway upgrade.

The Division Road Office, Bhaktapur, stated that one-way blacktopping has started from Dhulikhel Chowk. In the first phase, 2.5 km of the four-kilometer road section will be paved. Senior Divisional Engineer Suman Yogesh, head of the office, explained that traffic is being restricted at night to facilitate construction. According to him, work is being carried out by halting traffic during the night from Chaitra 7 to 20 and Chaitra 21 to 30. During this period, heavy vehicles, including tippers, are strictly prohibited.

The remaining 1.5 kilometers of the road section will be blacktopped in the second phase. The process involves laying a 20-centimeter thick cement-mixed base over the gravel, followed by two layers of DBM and asphalt paving. After the expansion work was stalled for a long time due to the contractor's negligence, the upgrade gained momentum following a new agreement signed last Kartik.

According to the office, a contract worth Rs 315.6 million (excluding VAT) was signed with C-N-A-One Kali JV to complete the work within 14 months. Chief Yogesh stated that once the blacktopping is finished, slope maintenance and other minor tasks will be completed. New technology will be used to manage landslides along the seven-meter-wide road section.

The office had previously terminated the contract with Gauri-Parbati Nirman Sewa for failing to complete the construction on time. Eleven months after the contract deadline expired, with less than 25 percent of the work completed, the office canceled the contract on 2081 Phagun 15. The construction company had signed the contract on Jestha 20, 2079, with a 22-month deadline to complete the project by Chaitra 19, 2080.

This road section serves as a primary route for the Araniko Highway, connecting to the northern border with China at Tatopani in Sindhupalchok, as well as neighboring districts including Dolakha and Ramechhap.