oplus_2
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) has forecasted heavy rainfall and a high risk of landslides, prompting authorities to suspend vehicle movement along the BP Highway for two days starting today.
According to Assistant Chief District Officer Sudarshan Shrestha, the District Disaster Management Committee meeting held today decided to restrict all non-essential vehicular movement from 5 p.m. Thursday to 6 a.m. Friday. The restriction applies to the Dhulikhel–Nepalthok section, stretching from Kavrebhanjyang in Dhulikhel to the Sindhuli border area of Nepal Thok.
Shrestha added that if flooding occurs in Roshi River or nearby rivulets, local police and traffic authorities may stop traffic at any time depending on road conditions.
The committee has also urged the public to avoid unnecessary travel, especially at night, and to remain alert in landslide-prone areas and settlements near riverbanks. It emphasized that this precautionary measure aims to prevent disaster-related incidents amid active monsoon conditions.
Earlier, vehicle movement along the BP Highway had been restricted multiple times due to monsoon-related risks. In mid-August, authorities had imposed a 15-day travel ban, which was lifted in early September. Similarly, during the monsoon in June and July, nighttime traffic restrictions were enforced to mitigate flood and landslide hazards.
Last year, floods and landslides severely damaged an eight-kilometer stretch of the highway between Chaukidanda in Kavrepalanchok and Barkhekhola in Sindhuli, leading to partial or one-way operation on some sections. The BP Highway, a vital route connecting Kathmandu with Eastern Nepal, spans 160 kilometers, of which about 84 kilometers suffered major damage in Sindhuli and Kavre districts.
Authorities have initiated contract procedures to permanently rebuild the damaged sections. The highway remains one of Nepal’s most crucial and busy transport routes, carrying thousands of vehicles daily.
About the Author
