Locals in Udayapur district have completely blocked the Ghurmi–Katari section of the Siddhicharan Highway since early Friday morning, demanding that the road be blacktopped to permanently resolve long-standing dust and mud problems.
Residents of Bhermika, Katari Municipality–8 initiated the protest, citing years of hardship caused by the deteriorated road conditions. As a result, traffic movement between Ghurmi and the Tarai region, as well as vehicles traveling from Katari to Okhaldhunga, Solukhumbu, and Khotang, has come to a complete halt.
According to protest coordinator Lil Bahadur Khatri, locals have endured extreme difficulties for years due to the dusty and muddy road.
He said, “The protest will not stop until the road is blacktopped. We can no longer live in dust and mud.”
Locals reported that students, traders, and daily commuters have been severely affected, while prolonged exposure to dust has led to serious health problems in the community.
More than 60 vehicles, including trucks, buses, and jeeps, have been stranded since morning.
“We had no prior notice about the road closure and have been stuck for hours,” complained Hari Kattel, a passenger traveling from Biratnagar to Solukhumbu.
The Katari Municipality has begun talks with the protesters and is coordinating with provincial and federal authorities to find an immediate solution and reopen the road.
According to police, all types of vehicles except ambulances have been stopped by the demonstrators, resulting in a complete halt of transportation services along the Siddhicharan Highway.
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