KATHMANDU: The construction of the Kathmandu-Terai/Madhesh Expressway, a national pride project and strategically significant fast-track road, has gained momentum.

The project, managed and fully supervised by the Nepal Army, is targeted for completion by April 2027.

However, due to policy complexities, geographical challenges, and land acquisition issues, the project had been facing delays in accelerating its progress.

Nepal Army spokesperson Rajaram Basnet has now confirmed that the construction work has finally gained pace.

According to the updated progress report for the fiscal year 2024/25, the overall physical progress of the project reached 42.13% by mid-July 2025.

Similarly, the cumulative financial progress stands at 44%, including mobilization advances.

Out of the 13 construction packages under the overall project plan, packages no. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8A, 8B, 9A, 9B, and 10 are currently under construction and in the implementation phase.

For Package no. 11, which covers the Khokana-Dukuchhap section, coordination work is ongoing regarding land acquisition and management of the expressway’s starting point and vehicular movement.

So far, the total expenditure on the project amounts to Rs 80.54 billion. This includes an advance payment of Rs 1.65 billion for land acquisition, Rs 823.7 million in mobilization advances to contractors, and Rs 98.1 million to the Nepal Electricity Authority.

After accounting for the Rs 2.57 billion revenue deposited as advances, the net project expenditure stands at Rs 77.97 billion.