Bitumen shortage halts Nepal road projects amid price surge

Road construction projects across Nepal face significant disruption due to a sharp increase in bitumen and petroleum prices. The conflict in West Asia has triggered a shortage, forcing contractors to halt blacktopping works and delaying several major highway developments.

Contractors report that bitumen has become increasingly difficult to obtain, even at inflated prices. This scarcity is impacting crucial projects such as the Araniko Highway, the Mid-Hill Highway, the Kathmandu-Tarai Expressway, and the Postal Highway. The expansion of the Sunyabinayak–Dhulikhel section of the Araniko Highway, a vital corridor, is particularly affected. Despite aiming to complete the first layer of blacktopping this fiscal year, progress has stalled on the Sunyabinayak–Sanga section due to the bitumen shortage.

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Blacktopping is continuing towards Dhulikhel, where contractors have managed to procure bitumen at higher prices, but work on the Sunyabinayak–Sanga section has not been possible.

"Blacktopping is continuing towards Dhulikhel, where contractors have managed to procure bitumen at higher prices, but work on the Sunyabinayak–Sanga section has not been possible," said Bijay Kumar Mahato, chief of the Sunyabinayak–Dhulikhel Road Project. He added, "Had bitumen and fuel prices not risen, the first of the two blacktopping layers would have been completed by now."

The impact extends beyond the Araniko Highway, slowing construction on numerous other national roads. The Nagdhunga-Mugling road, a critical artery used by over 12,000 vehicles daily, is also severely affected. On this project, contractors were preparing to lay the final blacktopping layer when prices surged and supplies tightened, leaving only six kilometers with the final surface layer completed.

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Had bitumen and fuel prices not risen, the first of the two blacktopping layers would have been completed by now.