KATHMANDU: The government has pledged to complete the reconstruction of the Nagdhunga-Naubise stretch, a part of the Tribhuvan Highway, before the onset of monsoon, which usually begins from June.

If the pledge materialises, commuters heading to and leaving the Capital will soon get respite from rough-and-tumble rides on a dusty stretch that leaves them gasping for breath. Promises aside, the reconstruction work on the vital gateway to Kathmandu has remained delayed for months due to the lack of coordination between contractors and the government officials.

The steepy mountainous stretch will trouble commuters further in the monsoon season if the government fails to deliver on its pledge. According to the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, contractors will have to lay concrete slabs on a stretch with a total length of 1.65 km. Krishna Hari Baskota, secretary at the OPMCM, inspected the section yesterday and directed engineers and contractors to speed up reconstruction work and finish the task prior to the onset of monsoon.

Engineers and contractors have yet to lay concrete slabs on a 270-metre stretch at Jhyaple Khola.

Hari Prasad Pokharel, division engineer at the site, said they plan to lay concrete slabs on that stretch as early as possible as it would help create a diversion there. “The two-lane road will have blacktopping on one side and concrete slabs on the other. We will start the work as soon as possible,” he said. The officials will have to lay concere slabs on a 90-metre stretch in Sisne Khola, 100-metre stretch in Khatripauwa Khola, 80-metre section in Ganesh Mandir, 70-metre stretch in Sikre Khola, 375-metre section in Yak Ghar and 80-metre section at Petrol Pump.

The government has deployed engineers to ensure reconstruction work on a war footing and traffic police personnel to ease vehicular movement.

Officials and contractors tasked with blacktopping the expanded roads in the Kathmandu Valley and fixing the dilapidated Naubise-Nagdhunga road had made a five-point pledge to complete the works on time, in the presence of Lokman Singh Karki, Chief Commissioner of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority.

The authorities will have to lay concrete slabs along the 375-metre Yak Ghar section by April-end and complete the remaining works by May-end.