Upgrading of Key Kunchal-Chitlang Road Section Initiated to Boost Connectivity

Kathmandu. The Kunchal-Chitlang road, a vital short-distance route connecting the tourist hub of Chitlang in Makwanpur with Kathmandu and other regions, is set to be expanded. The Road Division Office, Hetauda, has invited tenders for the upgrade of this section.

The Division Office issued a notice on Friday calling for bids for road improvements and structural construction. The road, which had its track opened in 2062 BS, has long caused hardship for locals and tourists due to dust and mud, and this project is expected to provide significant relief.

According to Yadav Subedi, Information Officer and Engineer at the Road Division Office, Hetauda, the approximately 5-kilometer road will be expanded at a cost of 250 million rupees.

• 5-kilometer road to be paved and concreted in sections

Subedi stated that under this project, the 5-kilometer stretch will undergo blacktopping and RCC concreting. While the Thankot-Chitlang section is being handled by the Road Division, Kathmandu, the Hetauda office has invited tenders for the Kunchal-Chitlang section.

Subedi said, 'About 5 kilometers of this section will be expanded. New blacktopping will be done on a 1,200 to 1,300-meter stretch starting from the Makwanpur border point after leaving Kathmandu.' He added that an additional 3,400 meters of the road connecting to the Tribhuvan Highway will also be blacktopped. 'The plan is to pitch various parts of the road from Kunchal to Chitlang and use RCC concrete in some areas,' Subedi explained. 'In residential areas where work was previously pending, about 300 to 400 meters will be paved with RCC concrete.' The road will remain two lanes, and the focus is on surface improvement rather than widening.

According to the notice, sealed bids are invited from qualified contractors under tender number RDHTD 33701169/2082/083-43. Interested parties can purchase the bid document for 10,000 rupees and must deposit a security amount of 4.6 million rupees in the designated bank account.

Applications must be submitted electronically via the Public Procurement Monitoring Office (PPMO) website. The pre-bid meeting is scheduled for 2083 Baisakh 24 at 11:00 AM, with the final deadline for submission set for Jestha 4 at 12:00 PM. Bids will be opened at 1:00 PM on the same day.

• Goal to commence work within the current fiscal year

A 31-day period has been provided for the tender process. Following the submission, contractors will be selected after technical and financial evaluations.

'Our main goal is to sign the contract with the construction company within the current fiscal year,' Subedi said. 'Our priority is to select a qualified contractor through technical and financial evaluation, after which construction will gain momentum.'

The work on this long-awaited road section is being initiated using the current fiscal year's budget. Although the budget was allocated this year, the process has just begun. Once the contract is signed, it is expected that construction will proceed rapidly.

The Chitlang-Kunchal road is known as an alternative and shorter route to the capital, Kathmandu. Once upgraded, it will significantly ease travel for residents of northern Makwanpur. It is expected to boost domestic and international tourism in the historic and scenic area of Chitlang and help transport local products to the market, providing much-needed relief to those who have suffered due to the road's poor condition.