Kathmandu, March 13. Blacktopping of the 16.5-km Khanti-Jomsom road section has commenced through the national pride, Kaligandaki Corridor, Beni-Jomsom-Korala Road Project.

The contractor Gauri-Parbati JV has started blacktopping of the Khanti-Jomsom road section using asphalt technology.

“As of now, the contractor has blacktopped over a kilometer of the road, and they have a stock of bitumen that is adequate for blacktopping a four-kilometer section. The contractor has pledged to arrange additional bitumen and materials required for blacktopping the remaining section up to Jomsom,” Project Chief Jagat Prajapati said.

The blacktopping process is being carried out on an 11-meter-wide road. The Pappu-Gauri-Parbati-Koshi and Neupane JV were awarded a contract of Rs 996.2 million for the blacktopping of the Khanti-Jomsom road section in early 2073 BS. Before blacktopping, they worked on the expansion of the road as well as the construction of drainage and side walls.

Earlier in December 2021, Prajapati informed reporters that 65 percent of the expansion project at the Beni-Jomsom road section was completed. Similarly, 85 per cent of the expansion and blacktopping work on the Jomsom-Korala road stretch was also completed. “We are currently replacing temporary bailey bridges with motor bridges,” Prajapati noted. He also confirmed that the road authority was conducting a need assessment to propose additional bridges in the road sections.

Beni-Jomson-Korala road section under expansion; at least 65 percent completed in 5 years