The construction work on the Kathmandu-Tarai/Madhes Expressway (Fast Track) is progressing well, with over 37.56 percent completion. President Ramchandra Paudel visited various locations under the construction of the Kathmandu-Tarai/Madhes Expressway project.

During the visit, the President was briefed on the project's progress and had an aerial view of the under-construction tunnel, bridge, and slope protection in Lendanda and Dhedre, as well as other project locations. Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Ashok Raj Sigdel, Head of the Project, other senior army officers, the Chief District Officer of Makwanpur District, and others were present during the visit.

The Kathmandu-Tarai/Madhes Expressway project consists of 13 different packages, with 7 tunnels out of 12 packages currently under construction. Two tunnels in Dhedre and Lendanda have been completed.

Additionally, 65 percent of the Mahadevtar tunnel has been completed, construction work on the Chandrambhir tunnel has commenced, and the design and preliminary preparation of the other 3 tunnels are in progress.

Out of the 89 bridges in the Kathmandu-Tarai/Madhes Expressway Road Project, 80 are currently under construction and 5 have been completed.

The overall physical progress of the project is at 37.60 percent, with a financial progress of 39.56 percent.

The Kathmandu–Tarai–Madhes Fast Track, managed by the Nepal Army, has achieved a 37 percent progress in seven years.

According to Brigadier General Gaurav Kumar KC, the project's physical progress as of mid-January in the current fiscal year 2024/25 is at 37.60 percent, with financial progress, including project mobilization, at 39.56 percent. Currently, 12 out of the 13 construction packages (packages No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8(a), 8(b), 9(a), 9(b), and 10) are in the construction and implementation phase. The procurement process for Package No. 11, which covers the Khokana–Bungamati section, has not started yet due to unresolved land acquisition issues.

The fast track project includes seven tunnels with a total length of 10.979 km, where construction work is progressing rapidly.

The Nepali Army reported that in Package No. 1, the Mahadevtar Tunnel has a total length of 3,355 meters. Of this, 2,228 meters (68 percent) of the right tunnel and 2,020 meters (61 percent) of the left tunnel have been excavated.

In Package No. 2, the Dhedre Tunnel, with a total length of 1,691 meters, has achieved breakthroughs in both the left tunnel (1,728 meters) and the right tunnel (1,653 meters) heading towards Kathmandu from Nijgadh.

Significant progress has been made in the twin tunnels located at Lendanda in Bakaiya and Gadhi Rural Municipalities of Makwanpur under Package 3.

The 1,623-meter-long tunnel from Nijgadh to Kathmandu was completed in the Nepali month of Ashad, while the 1,633-meter-long tunnel from Kathmandu to Nijgadh was completed in Jestha.

Package No. 4, which includes the 1,000-meter Deuichaur Tunnel, and Package No. 5, which includes the 390-meter Sisautar Tunnel, are currently in the design phase after procurement agreements.

Portal preparation work for the 2,250-meter Chandram Bhir Tunnel in Package No. 6 is ongoing, and the 583-meter Mauri Bhir Tunnel in Package No. 7 is in the design phase following procurement agreements.

Out of the 89 planned bridges, procurement agreements have been signed for the construction of 85 bridges. Currently, five bridges in the Rajdamar area of Bakaiya, Makwanpur, have been completed. Construction work is ongoing for various types of bridges at different locations, with some reaching heights of up to 81 meters.

Regarding land acquisition, the approved Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Supplementary Environmental Impact Assessment (SEIA) indicate that approximately 17,651 ropanis of land are needed for the project. Out of this, 5,487 ropanis are privately owned.

Notices have been issued for the acquisition of 5,204 ropanis of private land, with 4,818 ropanis already acquired. The price for 203 ropanis in the Khokana-Bungamati section has been determined, but compensation distribution is pending. Valuation for 165 ropanis is still in progress, totaling approximately 368 ropanis of remaining land.

Additionally, 16 ropanis need to be acquired in Makwanpur district and four ropanis in Kathmandu district. The Nepal Army has reported the cutting of 36,179 trees, with 705,552 saplings planted as compensation.It has been stated that additional land acquisition and tree felling outside the predetermined right-of-way have been approved as per the supplementary Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), in line with adjustments and modifications made during construction and revised design alignments.

According to the supplementary Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, land acquisition and tree felling approvals for the Mahadevtar, Dhedre and Lendanda sections (from 26 km to 35 km) and the Rajdamar, Bagdev and Nijgadh sections (from 49 km to 70 km) were obtained on December 28, 2023.

The Nepali Army has confirmed that the tree-cutting has been completed and the land transfer process is currently in progress.

The supplementary Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the Ranisera and Budune sections of the expressway (from 35 km to 49 km) was approved by a ministerial-level decision of the Ministry of Forests and Environment on April 19, 2024.

The process for tree cutting and land usage rights approval is ongoing, with construction work including sub-base preparation, bio-engineering, roadside structures, wall construction, and service roads progressing quickly. Additionally, according to a Cabinet decision of the Nepal Government on September 5, 2024, approval was granted to use 51.871 hectares of national forest land in Makwanpurgadhi Rural Municipality-1, Hetauda Sub-metropolitan City-18, and Bakaiya Rural Municipality-5 in Makwanpur district under Subsection (10) of Section 42 of the Forest Act, 2076.

The approval also permitted the cutting of 27,748 trees/poles of different species, with 4,225 trees already felled. The Kathmandu-Terai-Madhes Fast Track, which spans 70.977 kilometers, begins in Khokana and ends in Nijgadh, Bara.

The project was initially handed over to the Nepali Army in 2017 by the government under then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ with a completion target of four years. Originally scheduled for completion by 2023/24, the deadline was extended to 2027 when it became clear that the original timeline could not be met.

Initially budgeted at Rs. 175 billion, the project's cost has now risen to Rs. 211.93 billion. The project involves collaboration between six Chinese companies and Nepali construction firms.

Once finished, the fast track is expected to reduce travel time from Terai to Kathmandu by four hours and save over Rs. 50 billion annually in transportation costs.

Despite facing numerous challenges and obstacles from various sectors, the Nepal Army has now managed to get the construction work back on track, raising hopes that it will be completed within the specified timeframe. To achieve this, the government and political parties need to support the land acquisition issue in the Khokana areas.