Chitwan, April 19 -- The road widening work along the Muglin-Malekhu section of Prithvi Highway, the country's busiest road, is underway but crawling at a snail's pace. Just 26 percent of the work has been completed in 28 months.

The Muglin-Nagdhunga Road Project started the road widening and upgrade work by dividing the 94-km Muglin-Nagdhunga stretch into three sections. The Department of Roads signed a project agreement with a construction company on December 30, 2022 to complete the work along the 39 km-long Muglin-Malekhu stretch within 36 months.

According to the agreement, the project deadline ends on December 29, 2025. However, progress along the Muglin-Malekhu section remains sluggish. "Only around 26 percent of the construction...