The collapse of a 100-meter section of road into the Trishuli River at Krishnabhir has blocked the Prithvi Highway for 12 days. This blockade has caused shortages of gas, sugar, and other essential items in Kathmandu, along with a rise in black-market activities. The Prime Minister’s Office has reported that work is underway to open a 200-meter track to resume highway operations within the month of Bhadra.
Kathmandu, 25 Bhadra — It has been 12 days since the city’s lifeline, the Prithvi Highway, was cut off due to the collapse of a 100-meter stretch of road at Krishnabhir into the Trishuli River. The highway’s closure has disrupted the main road network linking the federal capital, significantly impacting the daily flow of essential goods and passenger travel. Tourist routes between Kathmandu and the tourism hub of Pokhara have also been obstructed. Consequently, Kathmandu’s supply chain has broken down, resulting in shortages of gas, sugar, and other essentials along with increased black marketing.
The incident led to the resignation of Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Gaurikumar Yadav; however, the problems persist. Experts argue that the absence of alternative routes connecting such a densely populated region has turned this 100-meter road collapse into a severe crisis.
Former infrastructure expert and ex-Secretary Keshav Kumar Sharma explains that the government’s current efforts to reopen the Prithvi Highway involve a last-resort solution—constructing an alternative track on the landslide site to temporarily restore traffic flow. The alternative routes prescribed by the government—Kanti Lokmarg, Tribhuvan Rajpath, and BP Highway—are technically unsuitable for heavy and large vehicles, which has prevented gas trucks from reaching Kathmandu. As a result, gas cylinders now have to be transported from the Terai region, compounding shortages and inflation.
Sharma notes, “There is no other option than the current effort to reopen Krishnabhir, but the overreliance on a single highway has revealed significant vulnerabilities.” Even if the road reopens promptly, landslide risks remain high due to additional fissures above the newly cleared track, threatening further collapses during heavy rain or dry conditions. Krishnabhir is a historically active landslide zone.
According to Sharma, long-term solutions such as constructing two bridges to divert the road alongside the Trishuli River, building retaining walls by stabilizing the slopes near the riverbank, or creating a tunnel could take 6 months to 2 years. The government delayed its decision to clear a new track until three days after the landslide, which slowed reopening efforts.
Additional hardships due to ineffective alternative routes
The government is constructing an expressway connecting Kathmandu to the Terai-Madhesh region, contracted to the Nepalese Army. The 70.97-kilometer expressway was inaugurated on Jestha 14, 2074 B.S., with plans to complete and operationalize it by the end of Chaitra this year. However, progress remains below 50 percent due to disputes over the starting point near Kathmandu.
Tribhuvan Rajpath, under construction since 2007, serves as a major alternative for large vehicles despite inadequate infrastructure. BP Highway has been deteriorated by floods for a long time, causing persistent problems. The Kanti Lokpath alternative suffers from weak infrastructure and is suitable only for small vehicles. Currently, freight traffic from Hetauda to Kathmandu uses Tribhuvan Rajpath going uphill and Kanti Lokpath on the return route, though both roads are in poor condition.
The government’s reactive approach to finding alternative roads only during crises continues to cause severe hardship for passengers, consumers, drivers, transport administrators, and police alike.
Efforts Underway to Reopen Prithvi Highway Within Bhadra
According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office on Thursday, no exact reopening date for the Prithvi Highway has been determined yet. However, work is in progress to allow transportation services to resume within the Bhadra month. A 200-meter section of hillside is being cut to open a new track, with 10 machines and 30 personnel assigned to the task. The Armed Police Force has installed floodlights to enable night work.
The office also reported accelerated efforts to stabilize the landslide area from above and below the new track. Additionally, landslide clearance operations are underway at five other locations to facilitate two-way traffic. Discussions on immediate road repairs were held between Prime Minister Balen Shah and Infrastructure Minister Sunil Lamsal. Technical professionals from the Department of Roads and the Nepal Geotechnical Society conducted a four-day study before recommending the opening of a new track.
Lessons Learned Yet Challenges Persist
Frequent landslides along the Muglin-Narayangadh road section have repeatedly forced the government to designate alternate routes between Hetauda and Kathmandu, including the Tribhuvan Rajpath. Last year, a dry landslide near Tuiun Khola blocked this section during the Dashain festival, disrupting traffic and affecting east-west travel.
Three travel options exist between Hetauda and Kathmandu: first, the Tribhuvan Rajpath via Hetauda-Palung-Naubise-Kathmandu, which recently suffered a new landslide near Nagdhunga; a tunnel is under construction to replace this track. Second is the Kanti Lokpath connecting Hetauda-Thingn-Satdobato, and third is the Sanguro road linking Hetauda-Kulekhani-Pharping. The latter two are suitable only for two-wheelers and small vehicles. Despite issues on the BP Highway linking eastern Nepal with Kathmandu, these alternatives are often used. However, the government has not sufficiently strengthened or maintained these routes, causing the same recurrent problems annually.
