Narayangadh-Muglin Road Blockage Causes Travel Crisis
With the Dashain festival approaching, the repeated blockage of the Narayangadh-Muglin road section is causing significant hardship for travelers. A landslide near Tuin Khola has disrupted vehicle movement for about two weeks. While smaller landslides were being cleared since last Friday, a major landslide on Tuesday afternoon has completely blocked the road again.
The Critical "Lifeline" and its Lack of a Reliable Alternative
This road is considered a "lifeline" as it connects the federal capital, Kathmandu, to the Tarai-Madhesh and western Nepal. Built in 1979 as a link between the East-West Highway and the Prithvi Highway, it lacks a dependable alternative route, forcing the public to endure problems year after year. With this vital link blocked, travelers face major difficulties.
Temporary Alternative Routes Suggested
The Department of Roads has suggested six alternative routes while efforts to clear the landslide continue intensively. These routes include using the Tribhuvan Rajpath (Naubise-Hetauda), the Kanti Rajpath (via various points to Hetauda), the Kaligandaki Corridor (entering from Gaidakot to Tanahun), and roads through Dhading and Gorkha. There is also a route from Butwal to Pokhara. Another path from Chitwan via Jutpani leads to Dhading's Malekhu, but it is only suitable for small vehicles. While these routes exist, they are often longer, in poor condition, and can take over six hours, making them unreliable alternatives.
Long-Delayed Permanent Solutions
Two major projects were intended to be permanent solutions but are facing long delays. The Kathmandu-Terai Madhesh Fast Track (Drut Marg), under construction by the Nepali Army for eight years, is only 42% complete. If finished, it would be an ideal alternative. Additionally, a planned tunnel road between Kathmandu and Hetauda, which was supposed to be built with private investment, has been stalled for over a decade. This tunnel project has faced financial issues and leadership changes, and despite interest from the Bagmati Provincial government, construction has never started. The failure to build these reliable alternatives means the public continues to suffer.
