Reconstruction of damaged diversion on BP Highway in progress

By Kedar Timalsina,Banepa, Oct. 8: With heavy rainfall on Friday and Saturday, the flood in the Roshi River has caused damage to the temporary diversion on the BP Highway. 

The Road Division in Bhaktapur said that the diversion will be constructed within three days. Work has already begun to reconstruct the diversion road, which was washed away by the flood, to reopen the blocked road by Thursday.

Information Officer of the Division, Engineer Bindu Adhikari, mentioned that the contractor who was awarded the road reconstruction contract has started the work. 

"However, if the river experiences further flooding due to rain, the timeline could be extended by a day," said Engineer Adhikari. He also mentioned that work has begun to change the course of the river at five locations along the BP Highway, from Chaukidanda to Kaldhunga, to make way for the road diversion.

Adhikari explained that, for the section of the highway damaged due to landslides and floods, a one-way road system has been implemented between Kavre Bhanjyang and Dapcha No. 1 Bridge, while the road in other areas has been temporarily diverted.

To build the road diversion, work is being done to change the course of the river at five locations from Chowkidanda to Laskot from Monday. Similarly, from Tuesday morning, diversion work at Laskot on the highway, along with clearing landslides at Char Saya Bensi, and further landslide clearance between Mangaltar and Vyakurkhola, is started. Adhikari also mentioned that the work on the road from Pinthali to Daunnes will be completed by Tuesday evening.

“We have set the goal of completing all the work by Thursday and resuming traffic, and we will work 24 hours a day if the weather permits. If the weather does not favourable, the completion may be delayed by a day,” he added. Fifteen machines, including excavators, loaders, and dump trucks, have been deployed by the department and the contractors to reopen the blocked road.

Challenges were faced in areas like Boksikuna and Chaukidanda, where the flood had completely washed away all structures, making the work difficult.

Last year, in the second week of October, the flood in the Roshi River caused complete damage to a 29-kilometre stretch of the BP Highway from Chaukidanda to Barkhekhola. After that, the Road Division in Bhaktapur had constructed a temporary diversion and resumed traffic. However, the flood from the recent rainfall on Friday and Saturday has washed away the diversion again, completely closing the highway.