Incessant Rains Paralyze Nepal's Road Networks: Narayangadh-Muglin Closed, Night Travel Banned Across Hilly Terrains

Kathmandu: Unrelenting monsoon rains over the past few days have severely crippled Nepal’s major highway networks and provincial road connectivity. Triggering massive landslides and swelling river channels across various provinces, the extreme weather has forced critical transportation routes to a grinding halt. Recognizing the imminent threat to human life, local administrations and security agencies have resorted to extreme preventive measures, including sweeping bans on night-time driving in highly vulnerable hilly regions.

The country's primary transport lifelines, which connect the federal capital to the rest of the nation, have borne the brunt of the disaster. Citing the high risk of catastrophic landslides and flash floods, authorities have completely suspended vehicular movement along the vital Narayangadh-Muglin road section until further notice. Similarly, the Prithvi Highway remains severely compromised; debris from heavy landslides at Krishnabhir, Tingrangkhani, and the Jogimara-Majhimtar bend in Dhading has been only partially cleared, allowing for precarious one-way traffic. On the Chitwan stretch of the same highway, specifically at Dharapani, authorities have barred heavy vehicles, permitting only light vehicles and motorcycles to pass. Meanwhile, Kanti Lokpath—an alternative route linking Kathmandu to Hetauda—has been entirely blocked following devastating landslides in the Pandur, Takurche, and Bikhendhara areas of Lalitpur.

The eastern hill districts and the strategic Mid-Hill Highway are witnessing comparable devastation. A massive landslide at Katuwa in Khotang completely blocked the Mid-Hill Highway on Tuesday morning, adding to the woes caused by another major landslide in Panchthar's Dobhan Khola area. Furthermore, the Tamor Corridor has been completely severed since Sunday morning after floodwaters surged through the Nawa Khola in Panchthar. Closer to the capital, the Araniko Highway is currently operating on a one-way basis after a landslide struck the Pakucha area in Dhulikhel.

Given the lethal unpredictability of traversing fragile mountain terrains during continuous downpours, local administrations have adopted strict "no-risk" policies. Guided by the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology's forecasts of heavy rainfall, district authorities in Solukhumbu, Bhojpur, Ilam, Udayapur, and Khotang have imposed curfews on night-time travel. Journeys along critical routes—including the Mechi Highway, Siddhicharan Highway, and the Mid-Hill Highway—have been systematically banned from dusk (between 5 PM and 7 PM) until dawn (5 AM to 6 AM). Exceptions have been meticulously restricted to essential service vehicles, such as ambulances, fire engines, and trucks carrying food supplies, which may operate only in close coordination with local police units.

According to the latest situational updates released by the Nepal Police, the nation's road infrastructure is currently in a highly fragile state. While security personnel and road division crews are continuously deployed to clear debris and restore connectivity, the unrelenting rainfall continues to thwart their efforts, making travel highly dangerous. Consequently, authorities have strongly urged the general public to postpone all non-essential travel and to verify road conditions with local police units before embarking on any unavoidable journeys.