KATHMANDU: Sections of the BP Highway (Dhulikhel–Sindhuli–Bardibas) damaged by last year’s floods and landslides are currently operating through temporary diversions, posing risks to travelers and increasing travel time.
The flood and landslides that struck in September 2024 severely damaged road sections at Katunje Besi, Mangaltar, and Nepal Thok. After the floodwaters washed away parts of the road, temporary routes have been constructed directly along the riverbed to keep traffic moving this year.
Traveling along these riverbed diversions remains risky, and crossing the damaged stretches takes longer than usual. The situation worsens when water is sprayed to control dust on the unpaved road, making the surface slippery and increasing the likelihood of accidents.
According to the Division Road Office, Bhaktapur, an estimated Rs 9.66 billion will be required to reconstruct various damaged sections of the BP Highway, particularly from Bhakunde to Nepal Thok. However, funding sources for the reconstruction have yet to be secured.
Under the highway section in Kavrepalanchok, the 12-kilometer stretch from Chaukidanda in Namobuddha to Kaladhunga in Roshi Rural Municipality suffered extensive damage, with around eight kilometers completely destroyed by the floods.
The BP Highway, spanning 160 kilometers from Dhulikhel to Bardibas, was constructed with grant assistance from the Government of Japan, with construction beginning in fiscal year 1996/97. The project was completed in phases and formally handed over to the Government of Nepal on July 3, 2015.
Despite its strategic importance as a key link between the Kathmandu Valley and the eastern Tarai, uncertainty over funding has delayed full-scale reconstruction, leaving commuters to rely on temporary and hazardous alternatives.
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