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Reconstruction work is in full swing on the BP Highway to ensure that vehicles will no longer have to drive through riverbeds during the upcoming monsoon season - a recurring hazard for commuters in past years.

According to Suman Yogesh, chief of the Bhaktapur Road Division, around 20 percent of the reconstruction work has been completed so far. “We are on track to complete the reconstruction within the scheduled timeframe. By the next monsoon, vehicles will safely travel above the riverbeds rather than through them,” he said. “The paving will come later, but even without asphalt, the highway will be fully navigable from above the riverbeds.” Currently, drivers still have to navigate through rivers in certain stretches.

The reconstruction follows the heavy rains of September 17–28, 2024, which caused severe damage to sections of the highway. One of these sections - from Barkhe Khola to Piplesh - is set to be rebuilt with assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), though work has yet to begin. JICA has agreed to reconstruct 3.2 km of road. “We had asked JICA to rebuild 5.5 km, but due to funding limitations, they can only cover 3.2 km. The remaining 2.3 km will be rebuilt by us,” Yogesh explained.

JICA’s investment in the project is estimated at around Rs 3 billion. While an agreement with the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport was reached last May, physical work is still pending. The BP Highway itself has a long history: originally built by Japan over 20 years at a cost of 26 billion yen, the 160 km route began construction in 1996. The 2015 earthquake damaged parts of the highway, which required 18 months for repairs.

After the September 2024 floods, JICA conducted a site visit in mid-November, preparing a detailed report following on-site surveys. The agency will handle the design and survey of the damaged sections themselves. “We had submitted our designs, but JICA decided to do their own survey,” Yogesh said. Notably, the rebuilt sections will now be two lanes wide, an upgrade from the original single-lane design.

Reconstruction is also underway by local divisions. Bhaktapur Road Division is working on 25 km, while Sindhuli Road Division is handling 5 km. Bhaktapur’s project is divided into three packages: the first, 11 km from Charsaybesi to Bhakundebesi, is contracted to Lama Nawa-Kantipur JV for Rs 1.14 billion, expected to be completed in two years; the second, 8.5 km from Dalebesi to Charsaybesi, is contracted to Thani Kamaljit A One JV for Rs 1.22 billion, also with a two-year timeline; the third covers 2.3 km, handled separately by Bhaktapur Road Division. Meanwhile, Sindhuli Road Division has contracted Kshitij Thising Construction Services to rebuild 5 km from Nepal Thok to Barkhe Khola for Rs 620 million, aiming for completion within two years.

Once finished, the reconstructed BP Highway promises safer, faster travel for commuters, keeping vehicles away from hazardous riverbeds and modernizing one of Nepal’s most critical transport routes.

By Bhuwan Sharma