KATHMANDU, Jan 6: A study has been forwarded for the construction of flyovers at three places in the Kathmandu Valley.

The Department of Roads has stated that a consultant company has been conducting a study on construction of flyovers at Gwarko, Satdobato and Ekantakuna in Lalitpur. Director General of the Department, Keshab Kumar Sharma said that the consultant company has presented the interim progress on the study report.

According to Sharma, works have progressed on preparing the detailed design for construction of flyovers at these places. He added that the bids for the contract for the construction of the structures could be opened this year.

"We can go for a contract for the construction of the flyover at least in a single place this year. The process would be begun for construction of the flyover at Gwarko this year and at Satdobato and Ekantakuna in the next fiscal year," he said.

There is a plan for construction of a flyover at the crossroads on the Ring Road which the Chinese government had expanded two years back.

The Department of Roads itself has constructed overhead bridges at Satdobato and Ekantakuna. Sharma said the overhead bridges need not be pulled down for construction of flyovers at these two places. "There is an option to construct the flyover without dismantling the overhead bridges at Satdobato and Ekantakuna," he said.

The government has allocated budget in this fiscal year for the construction of flyovers in the Kathmandu Valley. The Department of Roads has selected these places as such structures are being constructed through foreign investment in various other places of the Valley. These three flyovers would be the first such structures constructed with the government's investment. The flyovers will be of four lanes.

According to Sharma, it will take one year to 15 months for the construction. Nepali construction companies can be assigned the responsibility, according to him.