BP Highway Faces Travel Challenges Before Monsoon, Reconstruction Underway

Kathmandu. The journey on the BP Highway has become challenging even before the start of the rainy season. This highway has been obstructed four to five times since Baishakh. Especially from Bhakunde to Nepalgunj, traffic has been operating via a diversion through Roshi Khola. Due to flash floods in Roshi Khola even with a few hours of rain, the journey on this section has been risky. On Baishakh 22, vehicular movement was stopped on the Khurkot-Nepalgunj-Katunjebesi section. Similarly, on the 21st, the road was obstructed due to floods washing away the diversion in Ward No. 6 of Namobuddha Municipality, Chowki Danda, and Ghumaine, Roshi Rural Municipality 7, Charsaybesi. Earlier, on the night of Baishakh 15, the diversion was washed away by a flood in Roshi Khola, obstructing traffic. Diversions in Chowkidanda, Ghumaine, Narke, Chiuribas, Kaladunga, Dalbesi, Buldunga, and Mamti were washed away. Currently, vehicular movement on the highway is prohibited daily from 5 PM to 5 AM. With the series of road blockages due to floods not stopping, there is apprehension about the condition of the highway in the upcoming monsoon. In this context, a discussion was held on Wednesday at the Department of Roads among the Director General and Division Chiefs of the department. The discussion concluded that the reconstruction work will be intensified to increase the road surface and install permanent retaining walls, ensuring uninterrupted road operation even during the rainy season. Claim of uninterrupted traffic during monsoon The Chief of the Federal Road Supervision and Monitoring Office, Kathmandu, Shubharaj Neupane, stated that the BP Highway is being reconstructed to ensure smooth operation even during this year's rainy season. Clarifying the context of road obstruction in Baishakh, he claimed that although some disruptions were seen due to construction work and 'early monsoon', traffic will not be stopped during the rainy season. Currently, construction and repair work is underway on various sections of the BP Highway. According to Neupane, the work is being done to raise the road level and operate vehicles. 'The BP Highway will run smoothly during the monsoon, and our preparation is accordingly,' he said, 'We operated the road during the monsoon last year as well. The road will not be obstructed except in case of a major natural disaster.' Neupane informed that retaining walls, check dams, and coffer dams are currently being constructed to make the road safe. He also mentioned that although many have pointed out the need for a Bailey bridge, there is no such need at present, and the problem will be solved by raising the road's height. For safety reasons, travel on this road is currently prohibited during nighttime. Similarly, the Chief of the Road Division Office, Bhaktapur, Suman Yogesh, claimed that traffic on the BP Highway will be smooth and the road will not be obstructed during the upcoming monsoon. He stated that due to the ongoing intensive work on road repair and permanent structure construction, floods during the rainy season will not obstruct traffic. Speaking about the frequent road blockages, Chief Yogesh clarified that the current problem is not seasonal but due to construction management. He stated that as permanent walls are being constructed in the main parts of the road, sending vehicles through the river path (diversion) has caused some difficulties due to unseasonal rains. 'Since it is the working season, we have diverted vehicles through the river path, but there have been some problems due to water in between; this is not a problem of the rainy season,' he said. How much work is completed? According to Yogesh, the overall progress of the BP Highway maintenance is about 27 to 28 percent, but in the highly risky and essential construction areas, more than 50 percent of the work has been completed. To make the road sustainable, strong and permanent structures like RCC walls and plum walls are being constructed in various sections. He added, 'Work has progressed above the foundation in many places. As soon as one or two lifts of the wall are raised, filling can be done there, and vehicles can be operated.' The Road Division Office aims to divert most vehicles from the river path to the main road (alignment) within the next 10 days. Preparations are being made to complete all these permanent structures and operate vehicles from the main road before the full onset of the monsoon. This will ensure that the highway traffic is not obstructed even if floods occur in the river, Yogesh claimed. In the continuous rainfall in the second week of Ashwin 2081, the BP Highway from Bhakundebesi to Nepalgunj, approximately 30.5 kilometers, was completely destroyed by floods. The reconstruction work is being carried out in three packages on the 27.3 kilometers of the damaged highway, excluding 3.2 kilometers, with contracts awarded for the Kavre and Sindhuli sides. It is mentioned that Japan will reconstruct 3.2 kilometers. Furthermore, each contracted section is to be completed within 2 years from the date of agreement, and the expansion to two lanes is mentioned in the contract. Among these, the 11-kilometer section from Bhakundebesi to Charsaybesi of the highway has been contracted to Lama-Navakantipur JV for reconstruction at a cost of 1.14 billion rupees. Similarly, a contract for 9 kilometers of road from Charsaybesi to Dalbesi has been signed with Khani-Kamaljit-Avan JV for 1.22 billion rupees excluding VAT. Both contracts were signed in Ashar 2082. The contract for the 2.3-kilometer section from Piple to Dalbesi was signed in Kartik 2082 with Uma & Company-Bhandari-Amarjyoti JV. The contract amount for this section is 688 million rupees. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will reconstruct 3.2 kilometers of road from Piple to Barkhekhola. Japan has stated that it will carry out the construction on this section with grant assistance worth 2.63 billion rupees. Japanese team is currently studying Similarly, permanent reconstruction has not yet started on the 3.2-kilometer section to be reconstructed by Japan. The Road Division Bhaktapur has stated that temporary repair work is being carried out on this 3.2-kilometer section from Piple to Barkhekhola to prevent problems during the rainy season. Representatives of the Japanese contractor company are currently conducting technical studies at the work site. Although not yet in the construction phase, it is believed that their study will greatly contribute to the future safety and quality of the highway. Travelers have been facing great hardship due to road blockages caused by floods on the BP Highway as soon as the rainy season begins. However, the project claims that the journey will be safe and reliable as the Road Division will complete the construction of permanent retaining walls before the monsoon.