NAWALPARASI: Travel along the Dumkibas–Daunne section of the East-West Highway in Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta Purva) remains severely disrupted.
The Narayangadh–Butwal stretch has been blocked for four consecutive days due to flooding of the Binayi River, intensified by ongoing rainfall and the deteriorating, muddy condition of the road in the Daunne area. Passengers, drivers, and locals are facing extreme hardship.
On Thursday night, a Kathmandu–Nepalgunj passenger bus (Bhe 1 Kha 4085) became stuck in a diversion across the Binayi River.
The bus was nearly swept away by floodwaters, but 24 passengers were safely rescued with the help of a JCV.
Kiran Chaudhary of Bardiya, one of the rescued passengers, recalled the terrifying moment: “We were stranded in the middle of the river at night, helpless. All we could do was pray.”
Similarly, 31-year-old Shivanarayan Tharu, who was traveling from Kathmandu to Bardiya, panicked upon seeing the rising flood and jumped into the river.
He managed to survive by swimming to safety. “I genuinely thought I was going to die. I survived by sheer luck,” he said.
With the road blocked, many passengers have been forced to walk for hours. Long-haul truck drivers are spending nights inside their vehicles in the middle of the forest, where access to food and water is nearly impossible. Freight trucks remain stranded for kilometers.
Moved by the hardship faced by travelers, local youth, businesspeople, and social organizations in Binayi Triveni Rural Municipality–1 stepped in to provide free meals throughout Friday. In Dumkibas, locals distributed rice, lentils, vegetables, and clean drinking water. Social worker Goma Basyal reported that more than 1,500 people were served food on Friday alone.
The East-West Highway, a vital transportation lifeline, has descended into chaos. Bhabiswhar Pandey, Chief District Officer of Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta Purva), said the situation worsened due to the negligence of the contractor, despite it being natural for roads under construction to become muddy during rain.
“Efforts are underway to coordinate with local authorities, the construction company, and the police to seek alternative arrangements,” Pandey said. “However, it seems the hardship for passengers will continue for some time.”
The Dumkibas–Daunne section of the Narayangadh–Butwal road has faced mounting challenges since road expansion began in 2075 BS.
Though vehicles have been using a temporary diversion over the Binayi River, the structure has been repeatedly damaged by flooding.
According to Yadav Dhakal, Superintendent of Police at the District Police Office in Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta Purva), the diversion has been washed away eight times to date.
The 14-kilometer stretch in the Daunne area, heavily damaged during road construction, turns into a muddy quagmire each rainy season.
Passengers have expressed frustration, saying that despite pressure from the local administration, the contractor has failed to carry out even basic repairs such as laying gravel or sand.
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