All Bridges on Narayanghat–Butwal Eastern Road Section Completed, Traffic Operating on 33 of 34 Bridges

The government’s Narayanghat–Butwal road expansion project, a national pride initiative, has completed construction of all bridges on the eastern section of the highway. Out of 34 bridges, traffic is now operational on 33, the project authorities confirmed.

According to Project Information Officer Engineer Shiv Khanal, the completion of the eighth span of the Arun Khola Bridge marked the final bridge construction milestone for the eastern section.

The contract, awarded to China State Engineering Construction Corporation Limited, involved building 22 small bridges (up to 25 meters) and 12 large bridges (over 25 meters). While traffic has already been running on all the smaller bridges, some large bridges were still under construction.

“Last week, the Giribari Khola Bridge in Chormara Bazaar was opened for traffic. Currently, 33 bridges are operational. The remaining Arun Khola Bridge will be opened before the election on Falgun 21, with finishing works and approach roads accelerated,” Khanal said.

Road Expansion Progress

The eastern section faces challenging terrain at Daunne, which has slowed completion of some culverts. However, the project reports that most of the 65 km stretch from Narayanghat to Daunne is now accessible with paved asphalt roads. Work at Daunne continues, including slope cutting, culvert construction, and widening, due to the difficult topography.

Currently, the overall physical progress of the eastern section is at 76 percent. Except for parts of Daunne, Arun Khola, and Dumkibas, all sections have two-way asphalt roads making travel smoother. Two-way roads with completed asphalt are also receiving lane markings, and service lanes are being added where applicable.

At Daunne, out of 14 km, 4 km remains under construction. The work includes cutting hills, constructing remaining culverts, widening roads, and reinforcing slopes with rock-filled gabions. A total of 215 culverts will be built in the eastern section.

Project Background

The government signed the construction contract with China State Engineering Construction Corporation on Magh 24, 2079 BS (Feb 7, 2023). The original 42-month construction timeline has been extended four times due to slow progress, with a final completion deadline set for Shrawan 8, 2083 BS (mid-July 2026).

The 114 km Narayanghat–Butwal highway is divided into two sections, both managed by the same Chinese contractor. The total project cost is around NPR 17 billion, with 85% funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).