In the ongoing road expansion drive in the Capital, the first phase has seen the demolition of encroaching structures on nearly 100 kilometres. Authorities have begun the second phase of works, aimed at widening an additional 45 km.

According to Kathmandu Valley Town Development Implementation Committee (KVTDIC) chief Bhaikaji Tiwari, 90 percent work on the

hundred kilometres has been over. “We are now working on the remaining 10 km of our first expansion assignment and have also included other roads where we are regularly demolishing illegal structures,” said Tiwari.

Recently, the Kathmandu Valley Town Development Authority (KVTDA) received a partial budget of Rs 49 million, out of which the KVTDIC got Rs 11 million. “Our work was sluggish for a few months. But now that we received the budget, we are working at a rapid pace,” said Tiwari.

The KVTDIC has also been marking areas and structures on the newly assigned 45 km according to their work plan.

Meanwhile, the ongoing winter season is posing hindrances to the blacktopping of roads, to be carried out by the Department of Roads (DoR). While around 9 km was blacktopped before winter, the remaining 16 kilometres await tarring and reconstruction. “We are currently engaged in footpath construction since it is impossible to blacktop roads at the current temperatures,” said Gopal Khadka of the Kathmandu Road Division at the DoR. “Blacktopping at surface temperatures below 14 degrees Celsius will not be durable.”

The Kathmandu Road Division has been assigned 18 roads, out of which only the Maitidevi-Setopul stretch and smaller strips in Chabahil and the Balaju bypass have been blacktopped. Other roads currently under construction include the Bhagwatibahal-Siphal and the Teku-Chhauni strips.

However, Khadka is confident about the construction and blacktopping of the 25 kilometres assigned to the Kathmandu Road Division by this fiscal year. “Once the ground temperature rises, blacktopping will not be a problem. We will resume tarring from mid-February and complete it as soon as possible,” said Khadka.

Other roads, including the Thapathali-Kalanki and the Putalisadak-Sinamangal stretches, are also in the pipeline for expansion and reconstruction.

source: The Kathmandu Post,23 Jan 2013