Nepal to have first flyover at Gwarko

 Nepal is going to have the first flyover at Gwarko in Lalitpur after two years of ‘safety audit,’ of the Kalanki-Koteshwor road section.

The Department of Roads (DoR) confirmed the plan to construct a flyover at Gwarko Chowk within a year to ease traffic flow and minimise accidents. The department plans to complete the construction of the flyover within a year, though not a single project has been completed in projected timeframe.

The Quality Research and Development Centre under the Department of Roads has approved the flyover at Gwarko as road structure is perfect for a flyover, after the recommendations of the safety audit. Initially, the Quality Research and Development Centre had planned a flyover or an underpass at two other junctions at Satdobato and Ekantakuna but it has not concluded the study. The flyover will be built using the grade separation method under which a junction of two or more surface transport axes at different heights (grades) are aligned so that there will be no disruption in traffic flow on other transit routes when they cross each other, the Quality Research and Development Centre further informed.

The flyover will be constructed on the north-south part of the eight-lane road and only four lanes will be used for the flyover, according to the department's plan. "After the flyover is completed, vehicles heading to Imadol from Patan will use the existing road, and those heading to Satdobato from Koteshwor  or the other way round will use the 35-meter flyover."

The final design of the new structure will be soon revealed, though the exact cost estimation has not been completed. The department will issue a tender to construct the flyover once the estimated cost is released by the Finance Ministry.

The flyover will be very helpful in reducing traffic jams. According to Metropolitan Traffic Police Division, Gwarko to B&B Hospital areas are prone to accidents. Though, constructing a flyover doesnot guaratee to reduce accidents, it will ease the traffic.

After the widespread criticism over accidents and deaths on the road, the department commissioned a ‘road safety audit’ in the second week of February in 2019. However, no significant changes have been made to the road section. The audit had also recommended the installation of traffic signals at 213 places along the entire road stretch, including Balkumari, Gwarko, Satdobato, Chapagaun Dobato, Mahalaxmisthan, Ekantakuna, Nakkhu, Manohara bridge, Kalanki, Dhobighat, Khasibazar and Sanepa Chowk. But two years have been passed, and the recommendation is not implemented.

With Rs 5.13 billion cost, the Kalanki-Koteshwor section of road widening project was funded by China. It began in June 2013 and was handed over to Nepal on January 29, 2019. But the traffic jams, and accidents have been been reduced, which forced the department to conduct the 'road safety audit'.