Kathmandu. Continuous efforts are on to open the road at various places along the Prithvi Highway, which was blocked by landslides due to incessant rains. Landslides on the road and floods in some places have swept away the road erosion and diversion.

According to Naresh Raj Subedi, spokesperson of the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office, works are underway to clear the landslide that occurred at Chalise of Gajuri Rural Municipality-2 and Bangemod of Gajuri Rural Municipality-5 in Dhading. It said that it will take some more time to fully open the road as a large number of landslides have occurred.

According to Spokesperson Subedi, the situation has become possible for one-way vehicular operation after the landslide at Krishna Bhir under the Prithvi Highway has been removed. He said that there is no situation to operate regular vehicular movement on the road section immediately as the landslide at Chalise and Bangemode is yet to be completely removed.

Spokesperson Subedi said, “Although one-way traffic can be operated by clearing the landslide at Krishna Bhir, there are still some difficulties in the operation of vehicular movement along the Chalise and Bangemod road.”

According to the Traffic Police, there could be further problems in vehicular operation as there is a risk of landslide again if there is more rain in course of clearing the landslide.

Similarly, the rain has completely disrupted the traffic on seven national highways including the Prithvi Highway, BP Highway and Kanti Highway. Police said that efforts are being made to resume the road by coordinating with the concerned bodies after the road was disrupted due to landslides and floods in different places.

Landslides have also been carried out on the Thingan and Pharping-Fakhel sections of the Kanti Highway. According to the traffic police, vehicular movement on the BP Highway has been affected due to the rain. Vehicular movement has been disrupted due to landslides and floods at Mamti, Piple, Daunne-Kalopul, Charsaibensi, Katunje, Chaukidanda and other places along the BP Highway.

The traffic police have urged the passengers and drivers to use alternative routes and travel only after understanding the condition of the road. The police have requested people not to travel unnecessarily as landslides can occur on the hilly road at any time during the rainy season.

On the other hand, small vehicles and Tata Sumo are in operation on the Dakshinkali-Sisneri road section of Kathmandu. Spokesperson Subedi said that arrangements have been made to operate large vehicles via the Tribhuvan Highway.

According to the traffic police, arrangements have been made to ply the vehicles on the Dakshinkali-Sisneri road section and the Tribhuvan Highway by making a fixed timetable. According to the police, necessary arrangements have been made keeping in mind the condition of the road, the pressure of vehicles and the weather.

Commuters have been facing problems as the traffic on the major roads leading to and exit the Kathmandu Valley and enter the Valley has been affected due to incessant rains. Long-distance vehicles have been stranded on the road due to landslides and floods, especially on the Prithvi Highway and BP Highway.

Police have urged the drivers and passengers to be patient, not to cross the obstructed road and to travel as per the information given by the traffic police and the concerned bodies until the situation on the highway returns to normal.