KATHMANDU: The government has intensified construction work to restore traffic on the blocked section of the Prithvi Highway at Krishnabhir in Dhading by the end of August. The project follows a directive issued by the prime minister during a parliamentary address on Sept. 2 to ensure the road is operational by the end of the month.
A team of 30 workers equipped with 10 machines is currently cutting through the hillside to construct a new 250-meter track. With the Armed Police Force installing floodlights at the site, construction is continuing for 12 to 14 hours daily, including through the night. Alongside the new track, crews are working to stabilize the hillside and clear landslides at five other locations along the highway to facilitate two-way traffic.
The road segment was weakened by floods on Aug. 26, and further collapsed due to the Bhote Koshi river flooding on Aug. 30. Following an on-site inspection and consultations between the prime minister and the infrastructure minister, experts from the Department of Roads and the Nepal Geotechnical Society conducted a four-day assessment. They recommended cutting the hillside to create the new 250-meter track as the primary solution.
