Foundation stone laid for 3.2 km section of BP Highway at Piple–Barkhekhola for two-lane expansion

A 3.2-kilometer segment of the BP Highway, stretching from Piple to Barkhekhola, is set to be rebuilt as a two-lane road following extensive damage from floods in September 2024. This specific section is being undertaken with support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Secretary at the Ministry of Infrastructure Development Gopal Prasad Sigdel and Japan’s Ambassador to Nepal Maeda Toru jointly inaugurated the project on Monday. The reconstruction is supported by a Japanese grant amounting to Rs 2.60 billion, with a projected completion date of December 2027. Japanese firm Shimizu Corporation has been awarded the construction contract and is currently engaged in excavation and soil testing.

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We will manage traffic during the monsoon by raising the riverbank by five metres and placing large stones along the river edge.

While permanent construction has not yet commenced on this 3.2 km stretch, temporary measures are being implemented to ensure vehicle movement during the monsoon season. These include raising the riverbank by five meters and reinforcing the river edge with large stones. Four high-risk locations have been identified within this section, and technical teams and machinery will be on standby for immediate deployment if issues arise.

Meanwhile, reconstruction efforts on the remaining 27.3 km of the flood-damaged highway are progressing. Contracts for this larger portion were awarded separately last year, with the Government of Nepal providing the funding. Authorities are working to keep the route operational during the monsoon, utilizing diversions and the original alignment where feasible, although blacktopping and final finishing works are still pending.

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If any immediate issues arise, technical teams and machinery will be deployed.