Key Highways Reopen after Floods

Sabika Shrestha/Kamala Aryal

Heavy rainfall between September 24 and 27 triggered floods and landslides across the country, causing significant loss of life and property and disrupting road transportation.

Fourteen major highways, along with hundreds of other road sections, were affected.

The Department of Roads says most of the affected sections have now been reopened, at least for one-way traffic, after clearing landslides, rocks and debris and carrying out emergency repairs.

On the Prithvi Highway, a major road link to Kathmandu, landslides at several locations in the Chalise section of Dhading have been cleared and traffic has resumed.

At Simaltal along the Narayanghat–Muglin road, traffic is operating one-way after part of the road section subsided.

The BP Highway, which remained closed for four days, has also reopened to one-way traffic. Landslides have been cleared and washed-out diversions restored at several locations, including Matti, Piple, Daunne–Kalapool, Charsayabensi, Katunje and Chaukidanda.

The Kanti Highway has resumed operation after landslides were cleared.

Meanwhile, one-way traffic is operating along the Thori–Madi section of the Hulaki Highway, following damage to a structure at Ghanghar Khola.

The Department of Roads says restoring the Kali Gandaki Corridor and the Manang–Mustang road sections will take more time, as they were among the worst affected.

Around 50 to 60 locations along the Kali Gandaki Corridor have been blocked by major and rocky landslides.

Authorities have therefore brought an alternative route through Tansen–Bhairabsthan to Ridi into operation.

Although the rainfall has stopped, the risk of landslides, falling rocks, road subsidence and rising water levels remains.

The Department of Roads has urged travellers to check the latest road conditions before starting their journey.

It says rescue and maintenance teams, engineers and technical personnel have been deployed at 240 locations where roads have been obstructed.