BP Highway Reopens After 13 Days of Landslide Damage
Several areas, from Chaukidanda to Khurkot, were badly affected, with landslides and river erosion making it difficult to clear the debris.
Yurika Rajbhandari
Kathmandu. After being devastated by floods and landslides, the BP Highway is now open for vehicles just 13 days later. The damaged section of the highway has been reconnected by creating a track along the riverbank. However, a dry landslide occurred on Friday morning at the Piple section of Roshi Rural Municipality-11.
The landslide swept a bus heading from Sindhuli to Kathmandu about 20 meters, while a jeep coming from Khotang to Kathmandu was partially buried. Police reported that although the rear of the jeep was buried, the driver was unharmed.
Keshav Sharma, Secretary of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, stated that efforts to clear the landslide are ongoing and the highway will soon be fully operational.
Heavy rainfall between September 26 and 28 caused severe damage to the BP Highway, especially the 21-kilometer section near Roshi River, which needed to be rerouted. Despite the challenges, work continued day and night for 13 days to reopen the highway, Sharma said.
Several areas, from Chaukidanda to Khurkot, were badly affected, with landslides and river erosion making it difficult to clear the debris. Sharma explained that much of the road had to be rebuilt along the river as the original path was too damaged.
The urgency to reopen the road was driven by the need to restore transportation before the Dashain festival, as many people rely on the highway to visit their families, Sharma added.
The heavy rain had blocked 39 highways in 811 locations across the country, with the Chaukidanda-Nepalthok section being one of the most complicated. Since the BP Highway is a crucial lifeline for Kathmandu, priority was given to clearing the debris and reopening the route.
Despite the challenges, including the shifting river, the road has been reconnected. Sharma noted that the local market’s equipment and coordination with local governments played a key role in reopening the highway.
