KATHMANDU: After years of delay, the long-awaited flyover at Gwarko Chowk—one of the busiest intersections in the Kathmandu Valley—has been completed. The flyover, Nepal’s first of its kind, will be officially inaugurated today by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

Initially set for completion in February 2024, the construction faced multiple setbacks, forcing two deadline extensions. Technical complications and necessary design modifications further stalled progress, including a month-long halt during February last year.

According to Pradeep Bhandari, spokesperson for the Quality Research and Development Center (under the Department of Roads), the contractor—Ashish-Samanantar Religare JV—was fined Rs 14.7 million for failing to meet the original deadline.

Bhandari explained that while the project began based on an approved design, unexpected changes became necessary. Soil conditions beneath the construction site required more reinforcement than anticipated for the Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) wall, extending the timeline.
Further delays emerged on the Satdobato side where improper soil compaction caused a gap between bridge panels, requiring dismantling and reconstruction of Panels 4 and 5.

The completed overpass measures 576.2 meters in total length—including ramps and bridge structure—with a 36.2-meter central bridge. It spans 320 meters toward Lagankhel and 185 meters toward Satdobato. The flyover is 16.4 meters wide and designed to support four traffic lanes. Four blacktop layers were applied for road durability.

With the completion of the Gwarko Overpass, Nepal takes a significant leap in urban infrastructure development. The flyover is expected to significantly ease congestion and serve as a model for future city traffic management projects.