CHITWAN: Tourist activity has resumed in Sauraha, a major destination in Chitwan, following the reopening of the road at Krishna Bhir in Dhading.
The route, which connects Kathmandu to the Terai region, had been disrupted since Aug. 30 due to a landslide caused by flooding in the Trishuli River.
The road closure severely impacted tourism in Sauraha, Meghauli, and Patihani, as well as parts of Nawalparasi. According to the Regional Hotel Association Sauraha Chapter, hotel occupancy rates plummeted from 70 percent to less than 20 percent during the disruption. Numerous conferences, meetings, and events scheduled in the area were either cancelled or postponed.
Mahesh Khanal, general secretary of the association, noted that hotel events resumed on Friday. “All types of programs were halted after the road closed.
Now that the road has reopened and conditions are normal, bookings have started again,” Khanal said. By Thursday, about a dozen tourist buses were operating between Kathmandu and Sauraha, with a further increase in both public and private vehicle traffic reported on Friday.
Business owners highlighted that the reliance on road travel made the area vulnerable, as air travel remains expensive and tickets are often difficult to secure. Former association president Suman Ghimire explained that the disruption also affected foreign tourists who typically visit Chitwan for jungle safaris after trekking in the mountains. “We have to sustain the business while struggling against natural disasters,” Ghimire said. “Now that the situation has improved, preparations are underway to conduct the previously scheduled programs.” With the road now operational, local businesses report that tourism activity in Sauraha is gradually returning to normal.
