KATHMANDU: The Kathmandu-Tarai Expressway has achieved merely 16.10 percent of the overall physical progress of the construction works.
According to Nepal Army (NA), which has been entrusted with the responsibility of constructing the strategically important infrastructure, only Rs 25.39 billion has been spent so far compared to the total estimated cost of Rs 175 billion for the construction.
Out of the 72.5 km long expressway, labeling has been done on about 90 percent of 44.1 km road. Similarly, contracts have been awarded to construct bridges that have a total length of 10.59 km. As of now, preliminary works for the construction of three tunnel ways in Mahadev Tar, Dhedre and Lendada have been started.
A report of NA shows that the constructions of access sub-ways and bailey bridges are underway. Out of 5,172 ropanies of the acquired land, owners of 4,745 ropanes have been paid compensation.