Night-time traffic barred on BP Highway

By Kedar Timalsima,Banepa, May 6:  Night-time vehicular movement has been halted on the BP Highway, which connects the federal capital Kathmandu with eastern hills and Tarai districts.

A meeting of the District Security Committee on Tuesday decided to enforce the restriction from the same day, banning both private and public vehicles from operating between 5pm and 5am until further notice.

Chief District Officer of Kavrepalanchowk, Gopal Kumar Adhikari, said the decision applies to the Bhakundebesi-Khurkot section of the highway. He said the move aims to prevent potential accidents caused by rising water levels in the Roshi River following rainfall.

“Rain in the upper catchment area of the Roshi River can rapidly increase the water flow, which may wash away temporary diversion roads built along the highway and pose serious risks to vehicles and passengers,” Adhikari said.

He added that, even outside the restricted hours, traffic could be halted for short periods depending on rainfall, possible flooding in the Roshi River and overall weather conditions.

Adhikari said Monday’s incident, in which 89 passengers were stranded in floodwaters, highlighted the risks. “Rescuing passengers trapped in five Hiace vans and electric vehicles at Ghumaune in Roshi Rural Municipality-7 during the night was extremely difficult, putting lives at risk. To minimise such dangers, night-time traffic has been suspended,” he said.

He said the decision was also based on directives from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority and coordination between the chief district officers of Kavrepalanchowk and Sindhuli.

According to Adhikari, drivers of five vehicles who ignored police instructions and attempted to proceed have been taken into custody and legal action has been initiated. The vehicles have been kept in a safe location.

The under-construction highway has been disrupted dozens of times over the past nine and a half months due to rainfall. The District Security Committee has previously imposed similar closures on four occasions.

Floods in the second week of October last year damaged a 29-kilometre stretch of the highway from Bhakunde to Nepalthok. Since then, traffic has been operating via temporary diversions along the Roshi River, which are frequently affected even by moderate rainfall. 

Reconstruction work is currently under way in four sections in Kavrepalanchowk and one section in Sindhuli.

Passengers rescued 

A total of 89 passengers stranded in the Roshi River flood since Monday evening were rescued safely after around nine and a half hours.

The passengers, travelling in five Hiace vans and electric vehicles heading towards Kathmandu, were trapped from around 5 pm following heavy rainfall in Banepa, Panauti, Bethanchok, Dhulikhel and Namobuddha areas.

Rescue teams from the Nepali Army’s Shree Meher Battalion in Dhulikhel, Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force carried out the operation at around 1:30am using a rafting boat. The rescued passengers were transported to their destinations the same night by two buses and an Armed Police Force vehicle.

Police said more than 170 vehicles that had been held at Charsebesi and Lhaskot due to the flood were safely allowed to proceed to their destinations on Tuesday morning.