The government is planning to expand and improve the existing 14 radial roads of the Kathmandu Valley, which link to its outskirts, in a bid to ease the worsening traffic congestion.

Besides the expansion, the government has plans to develop town planning within 100 meter of either side of the road, allowing new cities to evolve away from the core urban areas.

"Of the total planned 14 roads, we have been carrying out feasibility studies of three, which include Maharajgunj-Budhanilkantha, Satdobato-Godavari and Nakhu-Bungmati road," said Surya Bhakta Sangachhe, deputy director general at Department of Urban Development and Building Construction.

He said that if everything goes well, they will complete the studies within two months and select the most appropriate one for expansion for this fiscal year.

"As soon as the studies come to an end, we will invite tender to expand one of these roads," said he, adding that the government has set aside Rs 10 million for this project for the current fiscal year.

"We will expand the other two roads during the next fiscal year," he said. He added that the feasibility study of the remaining 11 roads will be conducted sometime later. These are Satdobato-Chapagaun, Balkhu-Dakashinkali, Gongabu-Tokha, Sitapaila-BhimDhunga, Gwarko-Lubhu, and Chabahil-Sundarijal, among others.

He said that as per the plan, the road would stretch 20 meter wide with having well-developed town planning on each side. "With the marked rise in population in the outskirts and spectacular growth in vehicular movement, these roads have become congested and are subject to traffic jam. So, it is quite essential to widen these roads to cope with the changing scenario," he said.

On the proposed town planning, he said they would develop it under the concept of land pulling system so that no landowner in these areas will be deprived of lands. "We decided to develop town planning at the same time of road expansion, because emergence of new cities is profoundly necessary to accommodate the soaring population in the Valley," he said.

He said that they will work in the phased-manner, and that in the first phase, they will join these roads only up to the proposed outer ring road.

The government is preparing to construct 65-kilometer long outer ring road with the assistance of the Chinese government. As per the initial proposal, the road will be 50 meter wide for a six-lane highway with having a bicycle track and sidewalk.

The construction cost of the road is estimated at three billion rupees, which will have 250-meter town planning on either side.