Kathmandu: The Department of Roads says it has completed preparations for the second phase of the Kathmandu Ring Road expansion project. In this phase, the section from Kalanki to Chabahil will be widened.

The 11.6-km section will be expanded to eight lanes.

China has already committed its support for this phase of the project also. Earlier, the northern neighbour had expanded the Koteshwar-Kalanki section of the road.

File: Expanded section of Ring Road in Kathmandu

Citing the preparations for the new phase have been over, the Ministry of Finance has sent a letter to the Chinese government via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to send a team to begin the work as soon as possible, according to officials.

The DOR Director-General Arjun Jung Thapa says all structures on the roadside have been removed now so that the Chinese team can work without any interruption once it begins.

However, the engineering design for the expansion is yet to be public.

In the first phase of the expansion, many stakeholders had complained of structural faults in the design of the project, leading to safety issues. This time, the department has already expressed a commitment to not repeat them.