Kathmandu. The opening of the track at Krishnabhir on the Nagdhunga-Muglin road section of the Prithvi Highway, which was blocked due to the floods in Bhotekoshi of Rasuwa, has been completed. The transport service has started on a trial basis on this section from September 12 and full traffic will start from September 15.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah, during his address to the Federal Parliament on September 17, had said that the flood-damaged Krishna Bhir section of Rasuwa would be brought into operation by the month of August. Accordingly, the Ministry of Infrastructure Development has started the work of opening the track on the section. According to Suresh Poudel, Senior Divisional Engineer of the Department of Roads and Project Coordinator of the Nagdhunga-Naubise-Muglin road section, the road section was damaged due to floods. After that, the Ministry of Infrastructure Development had conducted the necessary study.

The ministry, with the help of the Department of Roads and the Nepal Geotechnical Society (NGS), conducted a four-day on-site technical study. Experts had suggested cutting the hill of Krishnabhir and constructing a new track of 250 meters length as the first option.

“The department had started cutting trees from September 3 after taking various suggestions from experts, and the track has been constructed by digging a height of 35 meters in the Krishnabhir area and 20 meters inside the hill,” said Engineer Poudel. According to him, 50 people including technicians are working continuously for 12 to 16 hours a day in this work.

As a result, some vehicles including gas bullets have been operating on a trial basis since the 10th day of the start of the work. Even now, essential vehicles are operating in the morning and evening.

According to coordinator Poudel, the work of graveling, drainage and strengthening of the road is going on. “The gravel work will be completed by September 14. Two-way traffic will be opened from the morning of September 17,” he said.

After the operation of the new track, preparations have been made to reduce the risk of traffic disruption again due to landslides or mud falling from above. He said that necessary equipment has been kept ready to remove the landslide from above.

According to the department, additional gravel material has been kept in stock in the area keeping in mind the possibility of mud coming in the area and damaging the gravel. In addition, arrangements have been made for ‘surface drainage’ to reduce the risk of water seepage coming into the road from inside the hills. Arrangements are also being made to send the water coming from the soil into the drain through proper drainage before entering the road structure.

Some cracks have also been seen in the hills above Krishnabhir. Necessary preparations are also being made to prevent water from entering through these cracks. The cracks will be sealed using available technology and chemical substances and measures will be taken to prevent water from entering by covering them with plastic.

In view of the risk of Krishnabhir, the work of opening the track on about 20 km section from Benighat to Phisling has also been started as an alternative route of the road. Preparations have been made to allow passenger vehicles to operate on this road alternately.

The road department is preparing to arrange lights in coordination with the local level to make the journey safe at night on the new track. Along with this, traffic safety equipment including glowing stickers will also be placed. At present, vehicles are allowed to pass between 6 am and 7 pm and in case of emergency, the construction work has been stopped and vehicles will be allowed to pass. The road has been completely closed at night.

The flood in the Bhotekoshi River on August 26 had damaged the ‘security wall’ of Krishnabhir and another flood on August 28 had completely halted the vehicular movement after the wall was breached.