Ring Road Expansion : Nepal asked to clear roadsides

KATHMANDU, OCT 03 -

China has asked Nepal to clear the sides of the Kathmandu Valley Ring Road to start the widening work. The Chinese government is undergoing final preparations for selecting a contractor for the road widening work, according to the Ministry of Physical Planning, Works and Transport Management.

Based on a bilateral agreement, China last year had agreed to widen the existing four-lane Ring Road to eight lanes under grant assistance. In the first phase, the 9-km Koteshwor-Kalanki stretch will be upgraded based on the design readied by the Third Railway Survey and Design Institute Group Corporation, a consultant hired by the Chinese government.

“Saying that it could send a contractor soon, the Chinese government has asked us to clear the way in the Koteshwor-Kalanki section,” said Tulasai Prasad Sitaula, secretary at the Physical Planning Ministry. He said the right of way (RoW) has been cleared at most of places, but the overhead bridge at the Kalanki junction will have to be demolished.

A preliminary road design report of the Chinese consultant had also asked the Nepal government to arrange enough space for the construction of an interchange at the Kalanki junction. As per the preliminary design, a 0.8-km interchange is planned for smooth operation of vehicles at the junction. An interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation to permit vehicles on at least one road to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream.

Under the plan, the current 27-km Ring Road will be upgraded in three phases, according to the Department of Roads.

Source: The Kathmandu Post