Long-awaited Gwarko Overpass Inaugurated by PM

Lalitpur: Bringing to multiple causes of delay, missed deadlines and public exasperation, the much-anticipated Gwarko Overpass has been officially opened on Friday. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli inaugurated the overpass during a ceremony, bringing a closure to one of the most discussed infrastructure projects in the Valley. 

The inauguration was symbolic of the many obstacles the project had to face. As Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Chief SSP Nawaraj Adhikari cut through the ceremonial ribbon, it was Prime Minister Oli who unveiled the commemorative plaque on an adjacent road divider.

To the thousands of commuters each day stuck in traffic and construction-induced displacement at Gwarko Chowk, this is not just a completion project—it’s a long-awaited relief.

The flyover project was undertaken by the Department of Roads, Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, through its Quality Research and Development Center. Ashish–Samanantar Releger JV was awarded the work, and it entered into an agreement on 12th Falgun 2078 BS (February 2022). The bid was to finish construction in two years, i.e., by 11th Falgun 2080 BS (February 2024).

However, what was supposed to be a simple project was soon mired in delays. Having already passed the original deadline, the completion date of the project was pushed back numerous times—first to Ashar 2081 BS (June/July 2024), then to 8th Poush 2081 BS (December 2024). Construction halted completely for a period of a month during Poush and Magh (December–January) because of internal problems within the contractor.

Despite repeated assurances, the delays kept piling up, enraging commuters and residents alike.

‘We had to continuously push back the deadline, but the work simply was not being completed on time,” conceded Pradeep Bhandari, Quality Research and Development Center spokesperson. Eventually, the contractor was fined close to Rs 14.7 million (1 crore 47 lakh) in penalties before the project was ultimately finished.

Now that the overpass is officially open, Lalitpur residents and those from further away can look forward to easier traffic movement through one of the Valley’s most congested intersections. For some, it’s a welcome move towards controlling Kathmandu’s increasingly infamous traffic problem.