Kathmandu. The government is to proceed with the process by partially shutting down the Nagdhunga-Naubise Malekhu road section due to lack of expected progress in road construction.

The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport had invited all the stakeholders a few days ago and expressed commitment to resolve the problem. Contractors and related projects had complained that the road construction could not take a momentum due to the continuous movement of vehicles.

In a bid to speed up road construction by managing traffic, it has been decided to shut down the road for five hours daily from December 13 to December 13. The District Administration Office Kathmandu and Dhading have jointly issued a notice to close the road.

The Nagdhunga-Naubise section of the Tribhuvan Highway is in the process of being blacktopped and upgraded. In this connection, the Nagdhunga-Piplamod section of Kathmandu has been blacktopped. The road section is narrower than other roads and many heavy equipment and transport vehicles have to be mobilized at once for blacktopping. Similarly, the Galchi-Gajuri section of Dhading is also narrow and risky, so the road needs to be widened in Pokhrebhir area.

As per the notice, the vehicular movement along Nagdhunga to Piplamod and Pokhrebhir area will be closed from 10:30 am to 3:30 pm from December 17 to December 17. It has urged the people to use alternative roads during this time and to manage their travel time before or after that time.

Vehicles heading to Naubise from Kathmandu will be stopped at Nagdhunga check post during the period. The traffic police will facilitate the movement of emergency vehicles such as ambulances, vehicles of security bodies, fire trucks, mortuary vehicles, among others, the notice reads.

Vehicles heading to Kathmandu from Mugling will be stopped at Khanikhola (Naubise), Junge Khola (Thakre) and Galchhi, Baireni and Mastar for the Galchhi-Gajuri section. Small and medium vehicles will be allowed to use alternative routes in case of emergency. Sitapaila, Bhimdhunga, Ramkot Dharke road and Samakhusi Tokha-Chhahare road can be used as an alternative.

The notice states that all the vehicles stopped will be allowed to leave only after 3:30 pm.