Flood-damaged Prithvi Highway faces major repair challenge in Dhading

Sections of Nepal’s Prithvi Highway have suffered severe damage after flooding in the Trishuli River eroded the road’s foundation, disrupting one of the country’s key road links to Kathmandu.

Private and passenger vehicles along with freight vehicles largely deserted on Wednesday as traffic remained disrupted along the Dharke-Galchhi-Malekhu section of Dhading.

The extent of the damage has become particularly visible near Parewabhir and Krishnabhir with pictures floating around in the social media platforms. In several places, the river has washed away the soil beneath the asphalt, leaving sections of the road weakened and, in some areas, seemingly suspended over open cavities.

At Krishnabhir, around 100 to 200 metres of the road structure has been affected. The Trishuli River has eroded the base of retaining structures supporting the highway, raising concerns over the stability of the remaining road.

The damage followed a sharp rise in the Trishuli’s water level after flooding in Rasuwa on Bhadra 10. The swollen river eroded several stretches where it runs parallel to the highway. Other areas have been covered with mud, rocks and debris carried by the river.

Department of Roads personnel have been working to prevent further deterioration by keeping drainage channels clear and covering vulnerable sections with plastic to prevent water from entering the road surface.

Authorities have managed to reopen a temporary route at Parewabhir by constructing an approach road from above. However, the route remains vulnerable to landslides.

A similar solution is being considered at Krishnabhir, but officials face a more difficult challenge there. The area has a long history of landslides, and layers of gabion walls have been constructed over the years to stabilise the hillside.

Cutting into the slope to create a new track could destabilise the hillside and trigger another landslide, making restoration particularly risky.