Muglin-Pokhara Road Expansion Faces Another Delay as Western Section Misses July Deadline
Slow construction on the western section of Nepal’s Muglin-Pokhara road expansion has pushed the Jamune-to-Pokhara stretch beyond its planned July deadline, forcing officials to review a new completion schedule.
The western section of the Muglin-Pokhara road expansion will not be ready by the upcoming July deadline, as construction progress has remained too slow to keep the project on schedule. Officials say work is continuing, but the pace is not enough to finish the Jamune-to-Pokhara stretch on time.
The delay affects one of Nepal’s most important highway upgrades, a project aimed at turning the busy link into a four-lane corridor and easing travel between the Kathmandu Valley and Pokhara. The expansion is part of a larger Asian Development Bank-funded infrastructure effort.
What is slowing the project?
Project officials have pointed to sluggish construction progress on the western section as the main reason the deadline cannot be met. The Jamune-to-Pokhara stretch has faced repeated setbacks, and authorities are now evaluating a revised schedule for completion.
Earlier reporting showed that the western section had made meaningful progress, but not enough to avoid repeated extensions. The project has already faced deadline changes before, underscoring the difficulty of upgrading a major highway while keeping traffic moving.
Why this road matters
The Muglin-Pokhara road is more than a local transport upgrade. It is a key route for tourism, trade, and daily travel, linking central Nepal with Pokhara, one of the country’s most important destination cities.
Once complete, the four-lane highway is expected to improve traffic flow, reduce congestion, and make travel safer and more reliable. For a corridor that handles heavy passenger and freight movement, even small delays in expansion can have wider economic effects.
What happens next
Authorities are now reviewing a new completion timeline for the western section. While construction continues, the revised schedule will determine how much longer the final phase of work will take and when the full highway upgrade can realistically be delivered.
The latest delay adds another chapter to a project that has become closely watched by travelers, local businesses, and officials hoping for a smoother connection between Mugling and Pokhara.