Ilam. The Mechi Highway, which was blocked due to landslide triggered by rain-triggered rain on October 1, has come into operation from today. According to Chief District Officer Sunita Nepal, the Ilam-Rajduwali road section of Ilam Municipality-9 was opened for traffic since 9:00 pm today following repair works.

According to Pawan Bhattarai, chief of the Road Division Office, Ilam, the locals and security personnel have been able to resume the road operation after two weeks of continuous efforts. According to him, the office mobilized six excavators, one JCB, six tippers and two loaders to remove the landslide.

“It took time for us to clear the landslide due to the huge landslide and the problem of daily landslides,” said Bhattarai, adding, “We have been able to open the road due to continuous efforts. ’

Chief Bhattarai said the operation of the highway has made it easier for the passengers and vehicles coming to Jhapa from Ilam, Panchthar and Taplejung and from Jhapa to Ilam, Panchthar and Taplejung. The Tilkeni-Simalgo road section was opened from Wednesday as an alternative route for small vehicles due to obstruction of the Mechi highway. According to him, a temporary diversion has been constructed at Jogmai rivulet linking Maijogmai rural municipality-4, Namsaling and Ilam municipality-10, Godak.

However, the Mechi corridor (Kechana-Kanchenjunga road) which is being used as an alternative road has not yet come into operation. The Bailey Bridge over Puwakhola River under the road section has been swept away by floods and a concrete bridge over Maikhola at Belase has been disrupted till now.