BP Highway closed as Roshi River flood washes away diversion road

KAVREPALANCHOK: Traffic on the BP Highway has come to a halt after flooding in Roshi River washed away a temporary road on the highway on Friday evening.

The District Police Office, Kavrepalanchok, has banned vehicular movement since Saturday night after the flood washed away about four kilometres of diversion road from Chowkidanda to Nepalthok in the Roshi area.

Kunsang Tamang, resident of Roshi Rural Municipality-7 who was working on the highway, died at 9: 00 pm on Friday after being swept away by the Roshi River. According to the Area Police Office, Mangaltar, a preliminary investigation has found that the deceased, Tamang, a supervisor of the office, was also permanently employed on the under-construction BP Highway and worked at night.

Seven people who were trapped in the Roshi River flood near Chowkidanda at the same time were rescued, the District Police Office, Kavrepalanchok, said. Police added that the flood swept away a motorcycle and an e-vehicle.

Although a plan was made to temporarily construct and open the road with the help of the Department of Roads, traffic police and locals, it could not be opened due to repeated rain on Saturday, Superintendent of Police Komal Shah, Chief of the District Police Office, Kavrepalanchok, said.

The Divisional Road Office, Bhaktapur, has stated that out of the 18-kilometre diversion built on the road section washed away by floods and landslides last year, four kilometres have been washed away at various places. The office's chief, Senior Divisional Engineer Suman Yogesh, said there was difficulty in constructing the diversion due to continuous rain.

After the floods and landslides last year completely damaged the Chowkidanda-Nepalthok road section, temporary roads and diversions were constructed to resume traffic on the highway.

Meanwhile, traffic police had been stopping vehicles since Friday evening after the road was blocked at various places in the Roshi area of the BP Highway. Vehicles were stopped at the entry points of the highway at Kavrebhanjyang and Bhakunde in Dhulikhel, and at Nepalthok and Mangaltar.

By RSS