KATHMANDU, May 27: Nepal’s flagship national pride and strategic road projects continue to lag far behind schedule, with the latest Economic Survey for Fiscal Year 2025/26 revealing sluggish progress across multiple corridors and highways. Despite years of investment, most projects have failed to meet targets within stipulated timelines, raising concerns about efficiency and accountability in infrastructure development.
The Mid-Hill Highway, stretching 1,879 kilometers, has seen only 1,529 kilometers blacktopped as of mid-March. In the first eight months of the current fiscal year, just 19 kilometers were added. Out of 137 planned bridges, 114 have been completed.
Similarly, the Postal Highway — 1,857 kilometers in length — recorded only 29 kilometers of fresh blacktopping during the review period. To date, 1,381 kilometers have been completed, along with 143 of the 250 planned bridges.
The Gaindakot-Ramdi-Maldhunga section of the North-South Kaligandaki Corridor is nearing completion, with 292 of 293 kilometers blacktopped and 36 bridges constructed. However, progress is slower in the Maldhunga-Beni-Jomsom-Korala section, where blacktopping, graveling, and bridge construction remain ongoing.
Expedite national pride projects
In the Karnali Corridor, a track has been opened along the 269-kilometer stretch, but graveling has been completed on only 41.5 kilometers. The Koshi Corridor has seen 14 kilometers blacktopped and 11 bridges constructed this fiscal year.
The 740-kilometer Madan Bhandari Highway has achieved 395.5 kilometers of blacktopping, including 30.5 kilometers this year, with 145 of 185 bridges completed.
On the Galchhi-Trishuli-Mailung-Syafrubesi-Rasuwagadhi section, 39 kilometers have been upgraded to two lanes, and 23 bridges constructed.
The Muglin-Pokhara road has completed the first layer of blacktopping on 78.4 kilometers, while four of six Madi River bridges in Damauli are finished.
The Siddha Baba Tunnel has advanced significantly, with 1,126 meters of concrete lining completed on the main tunnel and final work on the bypass tunnel nearing completion. Authorities expect the tunnel to be operational by the second week of October.
Meanwhile, construction of the Kathmandu-Terai/Madhes Expressway remains slow. Seven tunnels are under construction, with partial progress on bridge foundations and superstructures. Citing delays, the Nepali Army has proposed extending the project deadline by three years.
The survey underscores that despite being designated as national pride projects, many road and highway initiatives remain incomplete, undermining connectivity goals and delaying economic benefits. Analysts warn that persistent delays not only inflate costs but also erode public confidence in the government’s ability to deliver large-scale infrastructure.
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