Kavrepalanchok: Following rainfall on Friday evening, flooding in the Roshi River washed away a temporary road section along the BP Highway, resulting in the blockage of the Roshi area. Although it was planned to temporarily reopen the diverted road after the water level in the river receded, continuous rainfall prevented this from happening.
The District Police Office, Kavrepalanchok, has stated that traffic movement on the highway will remain restricted from Saturday night until the road is reopened. The flood in Roshi Khola after Friday evening’s rainfall washed away approximately four kilometers of the diversion road between Chaukidanda and Nepalthok in the Roshi area, bringing traffic on the highway to a complete halt since Friday evening.
Although plans were made to reopen the road with temporary construction in coordination with the Department of Roads, Nepal Police, Traffic Police, and local residents, continuous rainfall throughout Saturday hindered the effort, according to Superintendent of Police Komal Shah, Chief of the District Police Office, Kavrepalanchok.
He stated that if the water level in Roshi Khola decreases, efforts will be made to rebuild the diversion and resume traffic from Sunday morning. The Department of Roads’ Bhaktapur Division Office reported that out of the 18-kilometer diversion constructed after last year’s floods and landslides, about four kilometers have been washed away in various locations.
Senior Divisional Engineer Suman Yogesh stated that although reconstruction had begun at the affected sites after the river’s water level started to decrease on Saturday morning, continuous rainfall has made the rebuilding work difficult. He added that ongoing permanent reconstruction work in some areas has not been damaged by the floods.
Following last year’s floods and landslides in Bhadra, which completely damaged the Chaukidanda–Nepalthok road section, traffic had been operating through temporary roads and diversions built along the river. According to him, landslides mixed with mud have damaged roads in various locations such as Biruwadanda, Kaladhunga, Chaukidanda, and Mangaltar.
After the flood level in Roshi Khola began to decrease, road clearance and diversion construction were initiated from Saturday morning with the support of the Department of Roads, Nepal Police, Traffic Police, and local residents.
A 40-year-old man, Kusang Tamang of Roshi Rural Municipality–7, who was working on the BP Highway, died after being swept away by the flood at around 9:00 PM on Friday. According to the Area Police Office, Mangaltar, preliminary investigation suggests that the deceased Tamang was working at night on the under-construction section of the highway as well.
During the same period, seven people who were trapped in the flood near Chaukidanda were rescued, according to the District Police Office, Kavrepalanchok. Police also reported that one motorcycle and one electric vehicle were swept away by the flood.
Meanwhile, due to road blockage in various parts of the Roshi area of the BP Highway caused by rainfall, traffic police have been holding vehicles since Friday evening. Vehicles have been stopped at entry points such as Kavre Bhanjyang and Bhakunde in Dhulikhel, as well as at Nepalthok and Mangaltar, which serve as entry points from the eastern side into the capital.
