Heavy vehicles are stopped at Kawasoti after the road is blocked due to rain in Downe, the road is not likely to open until the rain stops.
Hundreds of passengers have been stranded as the highway has been blocked for 36 hours in Downe under the Mahendra Highway. Some of the passengers on the Butwal-Narayangadh journey passing through Downe have crossed on foot. Passengers who have to walk and cross the road where the highway is blocked and reach the other side of the road have to suffer due to rain.
The police have stopped large vehicles at Kawasoti, 30 km east, to avoid a long traffic jam in Downe. "We have stopped all the big vehicles going to Butwal via Narayangadh at Kawasoti," Superintendent of Police Yadav Dhakal said, "There is no condition to open the road until the rain stops." Even till Tuesday afternoon, there is normal rain in Downe.
3 km west of Dumkiwas near Vishwakarma Temple, the highway was blocked after the road was washed away. Three months ago, there was a problem with the car getting stuck due to the mud of the hole dug for the construction of the bridge. There is a steep hill and the vehicle is not able to move. Due to water on the highway near Vishwakarma temple, there is a problem for vehicles to move.
The Chinese contractor company China State Engineering Corporation, which took the contract for the construction of the highway, did not work on the road, so the highway is blocked even in normal rains. After the rain stops, efforts will be made to open the highway by putting gravel there, said Police Superintendent Dhakal. East Nawalparasi has been receiving normal rain since 3 am on Monday. It is unlikely that the road section will be opened until the rain stops.
