Name : Amrit kharal
Roll no: 790210
Historical Background of Road
Development in Nepal
1. Ancient and Rana Period Developments
Even though infrastructure development in Nepal was based on local resources, skills, and
knowledge since ancient times, formal documentation of road construction began during
the Rana regime. Although a car was brought to Kathmandu in 1998 B.S., road construction
had started in the 1980s B.S.
Image: First car being carried by people into Kathmandu before 2007 B.S.
2. Early Road Construction
Key developments in early road construction include:
First road in Kathmandu Valley constructed in 1980s B.S.
First road outside Kathmandu: Amlekhgunj–Bhimphedi (42 km).
First long-distance road: Kathmandu–Bhimfedi–Terai (Tribhuvan Highway), built in
2009 B.S. with Indian assistance.
Image: Road connecting Singha Durbar and Shahid Gate before 2007 B.S.
3. Early Institutions and Offices
Bato Kaj Goshwara and Chambhadel Adda existed during the Rana period.
Construction Office (Banāune Adda) operated in other regions.
Purano and Naya Bato Kaj Goshwara established for maintenance and new
constructions.
Semi-military office 'Samarjung Company' handled maintenance tasks.
4. Institutional Development After 2007 B.S.
Key changes after the Rana regime:
Formation of Public Works Department (PWD).
PWD had two main branches: Roads and Buildings.
Royal Nepal Army completed survey and construction of Kanti Highway by 2017 B.S.
By 2010 B.S., 376 km of roads were constructed.
5. Road Transport Organization (RTO) and International Support
RTO established on 2014-11-20 B.S. as per 2013 B.S. Development Committee Act.
Foreign technical advisors appointed to enhance capacity.
RTO merged into Road Branch by 2019 B.S.
6. Milestones and Expansion
East-West Highway inaugurated in 2019 B.S.
East-West Highway Committee formed in 2020 B.S.
Kathmandu connected to southern neighbor by 2010 B.S., and northern neighbor by
2023 B.S.
Nepal Road Standard (NRS 2027) issued and amended in 2045 B.S.
Table: Development Timeline of the Strategic Road Network
7. Department of Roads (DoR)
Organizational Structure (as of 2057 B.S.):
Unit Number
Regional Road Directorates 5
Division Road Offices 25
Heavy Equipment Divisions 6
Mechanical Offices 11
Central Laboratory 1
Mechanical Training Center 1
Total staff: 2,611
8. Current Structure (2078 B.S.)
Unit Number
Federal Road Supervision and Monitoring 4
Offices
Road Divisions 33
Heavy Equipment Divisions 9
Mechanical Offices 8
Quality Research and Development Center 1
Mechanical Training Center 1
Project Implementation Unit 1
Total staff: 2,505
9. Federalism and Constitutional Changes
After federalism, the Department of Roads now focuses only on national highways under
the federation. As per Schedule 5, Clause 20 of the Constitution, management of national
transportation policy and highways falls under the exclusive federal jurisdiction.
Image: Current National Highway Network
10. Major Achievements
The following achievements have been recorded:
All 77 districts have road access.
76 districts connected to district headquarters by national road network (except
Humla).
72 districts connected by blacktopped roads.
National highways identified: 80
Total length of national highways: 14,913 km
Blacktopped length: Approximately 7,000 km
Table : National Road Length with Category and Pavement (In Kilometer)
11. Key Points on the History of Road Development in Nepal
Infrastructure development in Nepal began in ancient times using local resources, skills,
and techniques.
First formal records of road construction date back to the Rana period.
Road construction in Kathmandu Valley began in the 1980s B.S.
Amlekhgunj–Bhimphedi (42 km) was the first road built outside Kathmandu.
Tribhuvan Highway (Kathmandu–Bhimfedi–Terai) was the first long-distance road,
built in 2009 B.S. with Indian assistance.
During the Rana period, road construction and maintenance were managed by offices
like Bato Kaj Goshwara and Chambhadel Adda.
Post-2007 B.S., Public Works Department (PWD) was formed by merging previous
offices.
PWD had two branches: Road and Building; with three sub-branches: Planning,
Construction, and Maintenance.
By 2010 B.S., around 376 km of roads had been constructed in Nepal.
Road Transport Organization (RTO) was established in 2014 B.S. for road policy and
planning.
In 2019 B.S., East-West Highway construction began, followed by a committee in 2020
B.S.
Nepal connected to India by road around 2010 B.S. and to China by 2023 B.S.
Nepal Road Standard (NRS 2027) was introduced to standardize road construction; first
revised in 2045 B.S.
Department of Roads (DoR) structured with regional directorates, division offices, and
mechanical units by 2057 B.S.
As of 2078 B.S., DoR includes federal monitoring offices, road divisions, and quality
centers.
Under federalism, DoR now focuses on 80 approved national highways (14,913 km),
with around 7,000 km blacktopped.
All 77 districts now have road access; 76 are connected via national road networks; 72
via blacktopped roads.
15. References
Department of Roads, Government of Nepal.
Nepal Road Standard 2027 (First Revision 2045 B.S.)
