BP Highway to resume traffic along main roadside corridor soon
Officials said work is being expedited to allow vehicles to operate from the main under-construction alignment instead of temporary river diversions.
KATHMANDU: The BP Highway’s Bhakundebeshi–Nepalthok stretch, severely damaged by devastating floods last Oct/Sept, is set to resume partial traffic flow from the roadside by June 29 (Asar 15), according to the Road Division Office, Bhaktapur.
Officials said work is being expedited to allow vehicles to operate from the main under-construction alignment instead of temporary river diversions, which have repeatedly been washed away during rainfall and caused frequent disruptions.
Suman Yogesh, Chief of the Road Division Office Bhaktapur, said the current diversion system has become unreliable even during light rain, making it necessary to shift traffic to the upper construction corridor before the monsoon intensifies.
He added that key structural works are expected to be completed by the end of Jestha, enabling smoother operation from the new alignment during the rainy season.
Construction representative Uttam Dhungel said the project is being pushed forward with round-the-clock work, aiming to open the road by June 29.
He noted that only 70 meters remain out of a 230-meter critical section in the Box Culvert area, which could be made traffic-ready within the next four to five days.
The 29-kilometer Bhakundeveshi–Nepalthok section of the BP Highway was divided into three segments for reconstruction after being completely destroyed by floods on Sept 28-29, 2024.
The first segment, Bhakundebeshi to Char Saye Besi (11.8 km), is being handled by Navakantipur Lama JV and has achieved over 30 percent physical progress. The second section, Char Saye Besi to Dalabesi (8.5 km), is under construction by Kamaljeet A1 JV.
The third section, Dalabesi to Warkhekhola, is being built with support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), while the final 4-km stretch from Warkhekhola to Nepalthok is being constructed by a Nepali contractor.
Authorities confirmed that the reconstructed highway will be upgraded from an intermediate lane to a standard two-lane road, with a minimum width of 9 meters, including two 7-meter lanes and 1-meter paved shoulders on both sides.
Officials said the redesign reflects increased traffic demand compared to the original plan, which was based on lower vehicle volume estimates.
