Following the devastating flood in the Bhotekoshi River on August 26, which disrupted roads including the Prithvi Highway, Nepal Police Headquarters has announced new traffic routes for vehicles operating between Hetauda in Makawanpur and Kathmandu, effective Tuesday.
All cargo vehicles and large passenger vehicles with up to 10 wheels traveling toward Kathmandu will be routed via the Tribhuvan Highway. Vehicles with up to 10 wheels returning from Kathmandu to Makawanpur, however, will be required to travel via the Kanti Highway.
Taking weather conditions, road conditions, and passenger safety into consideration, Police Headquarters has also made it mandatory for passenger vehicles traveling toward Hetauda via the Kanti Highway to cross the Area Police Office Thingan check post in Makawanpur by 6 p.m.
Small passenger vehicles with fewer than 14 seats traveling from Kathmandu to Hetauda will be routed via Pharping-Phakhel-Kulekhani-Bhimphedi. For travel toward Kathmandu, the designated route will be Bhimphedi-Kulekhani-Sisneri-Dakshinkali.
Due to the weak load-bearing capacity of the Bailey bridge near Trikhandi in Makawanpur, fuel tankers and heavy cargo vehicles will not be allowed to use the bridge and will instead be required to use the adjacent diversion route.
Police Headquarters has urged the public to travel only in emergencies. It has also requested drivers to remain patient and disciplined, operate vehicles only when it is their turn, avoid overtaking, and fully comply with instructions from security personnel and traffic police deployed for traffic management.
Meanwhile, flooding in the Bhotekoshi River and landslides triggered by incessant rainfall have blocked several highways across the country.
According to Police Headquarters, a section of the Prithvi Highway at Krishnabhir in Benighat Rorang Rural Municipality-7 has been completely blocked after erosion by the Trishuli River caused the road to collapse, making even pedestrian movement impossible.
Similarly, the road at Parewabhir in Gajuri Rural Municipality-2 of Dhading has also been completely blocked after flooding caused the lower section of the road to cave in.
