Kathmandu. Heavy vehicles that are crossing 768 kilometers from Hetauda to Kathmandu through Narayanghat will have to travel only 54 kilometers.

After the provincial government of Bagmati proposed to connect the Madan Bhandari Highway (Kathmandu-Hetauda) with Nijgadh-Kathmandu expressway, the federal government had formed a task force which began searching for a possible point of connection.

The Chief Minister of Bagmati province, Dormani Poudel said that the larger vehicles are forced to travel 768 km from Hetauda to Kathmandu through Narayanghat. Therefore, if the highway gets connected to the expressway on the possible access points of Bhimphedi and Kogtedovan, the road distance between Kathmandu and Hetauda will shorten to 54 km for all vehicles, which will benefit the state in the longer run.

After the general field observation of the proposed linking points, the Vice-Chairman of the National Planning Commission, Dr Pushparaj Kandel said that a new situation of confusion has arisen because linking of the routes to the expressway had not been envisaged earlier. However, a proper technical study would draw the final conclusions.

Development expert and an advisor to the Prime Minister, Gajendra Thapaliya, who had also participated in the field visit with Kandel, mentioned that the provincial government would extend cooperation in leveling and widening various road sections under Madan Bhandari Marg. Similarly, tunnels will be made to reduce turns. Bagmati province’s physical infrastructure development minister, Rameshwar Phuyal said that the work of leveling the Madan Bhandari road is in full swing except for the tunnel.