KATHMANDU: The BP Highway, which has been blocked for the past two weeks due to damage from floods, opened to vehicular traffic starting today.
However, the highway was obstructed again after a landslide.
Following extensive general maintenance, the Highway became operational from Friday morning.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli announced that the BP Highway would be open by 10 am on Friday via social media on Thursday.
“I spoke with Engineer Keshav Sharma, the Secretary of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure, who was on-site with his team working to clear the landslide barriers,” the Prime Minister wrote.
He assured that the remaining obstructions would be removed today, allowing for the highway’s reopening before Dashain, the major festival celebrated by Nepali people.
He expressed gratitude to the dedicated team of technicians who have worked tirelessly around the clock.
The BP Highway, a crucial route connecting the Kathmandu Valley to eastern Nepal, was blocked by flash floods on September 27 and 28, damaging approximately 12 kilometers of the road.
To facilitate vehicle passage, temporary structures have been erected in areas where roads, bridges, and culverts were washed away.
The closure of the BP Highway ahead of Dashain caused significant inconvenience for travelers.
A diversion road has been constructed where 200 meters of the highway were swept away by the floods of the Roshi River, located at the border of Namobuddha Municipality-6 and Roshi Rural Municipality-7 in Kavre.
The Road Division Office in Bhaktapur reported that temporary constructions have been completed on the riverbanks by redirecting the flow of the Roshi River, as sections of the road 20 to 50 meters above the river were also damaged.
Of the 160 km of the highway, approximately 84 km sustained damage in various areas, including 34 km from Khurkot in Sindhuli to Nepalthok and 50 km from Nepalthok to Dhulikhel in Kavrepalanchowk.
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