Nine years on, Fast Track Project only half complete
Summary
The Kathmandu–Tarai/Madhes Fast Track has reached only 50.54 percent physical progress in nine years, with land acquisition disputes at Khokana and rising costs slowing the national pride project. The expressway’s completion deadline has been extended by three years to mid-April 2030.
Key Points
- The Kathmandu–Tarai/Madhes Fast Track has achieved 50.54 percent physical progress and 52 percent financial progress after nine years of construction.
- The main bottleneck remains the Khokana starting-point dispute, while land acquisition and compensation issues continue in several sections.
- Seven tunnels and 89 bridges are part of the project, with major excavation and bridge works still underway.
- The project cost has risen from Rs. 175 billion to Rs. 211.93 billion, and the deadline has now been extended to mid-April 2030.
