KATHMANDU: Nepal’s first overpass at Gwarko has officially come into operation.
SSP Nawaraj Adhikari, Chief of the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office, inaugurated the overpass on Friday in the presence of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
The total length of the Gwarko Overpass, which comprises a 35-meter bridge, is 540 meters. The ramp stretches 320 meters toward Koteshwar and 185 meters towards Satdobato from Gwarko intersection.
Now onward, motor vehicles plying the Ring Road will avoid the busy Gwarko intersection by using the overpass. This is expected to ease traffic congestion on Koteshwar-Satdobato section of the Ring Road.
Although the project was initially scheduled to be completed in 17 months, it came into operation 39 months after construction began. The construction contract was signed in January 2022, while construction work commenced a year later.
The Gwarko Overpass was built under the Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) model by RC/Samanantar/Religare JV.
Thirteen months into construction, the project faced design issues which resulted in a halt in construction work until a new design was prepared. Further delays occurred after structural problems were discovered in a 40-metre section of the ramp. The faulty section was demolished and rebuilt.
As per the original agreement, the project was to be completed in February last year. The final extended deadline on December 24. The contractor paid a daily penalty of 0.05% of the contract amount until the project became ready.
The Gwarko Overpass was built under the Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) model by RC/Samanantar/Religare JV.
