Traffic Suspended for Upgrading Dhulikhel-Khava Road Section

On the Araniko Highway, traffic will be halted on the Dhulikhel-Khava road section from Chaitra 7 to 20, from 6 PM to 5 AM, to facilitate road improvement works. The Division Road Office in Bhaktapur aims to complete blacktopping 2.5 kilometers of the four-kilometer stretch during Chaitra. To reinforce the road, a base layer will be laid — the first in Nepal to mix 20 centimeters of cement into gravel — followed by two stages of blacktopping.

Starting Chaitra 8 in Kavrepalanchok, the Division Road Office Bhaktapur has initiated upgrading work on this section of the Araniko Highway by restricting vehicle movement from 6 PM to 5 AM over two weeks beginning Saturday night. The expansion, previously delayed due to contractor negligence, has gained momentum after a new company’s contract was signed last Kartik.

To ensure permanent construction, traffic will be blocked at night from Chaitra 7 to 20. According to Senior Divisional Engineer Sunam Yogesh, the goal is to complete 2.5 kilometers of blacktopping during Chaitra and finish the remaining work by Baishakh. Heavy vehicles are fully prohibited during this period. CCTV cameras have been installed on the road to monitor progress, and both cutting and upgrading activities are proceeding rapidly.

The office has contracted the work for NPR 315.6 million, aiming to finish within 14 months. Although cold weather had halted surface work earlier, plans to solidify the road are now underway. After the blacktopping ceremony, slope maintenance and other minor tasks will be completed. New technology will be used to manage landslides on the seven-meter-wide road. Due to previous construction delays, highway travel has been difficult for three years. The old contract was canceled and a new tender issued after five months due to missed deadlines. The latest contractor completed only 25% of work over 11 months, leading to contract termination on Falgun 15, 2081. That contract was awarded for NPR 201.95 million, with a 22-month completion timeframe.

The Dhulikhel-Khava road is part of the Araniko Highway, a major route leading to the border with China and connecting districts including Sindhupalchok’s Tatopani, Dolakha, and Ramechhap. Considering the heavy load from freight vehicles, the plan involves using Nepal’s first-ever 20-centimeter thick cement-mixed gravel base topped twice with asphalt to increase road durability.