BHAKTAPUR, May 4: Continuous rainfall since last night has disrupted traffic on the Suryabinayak-Jagati section of the Araniko Highway in Bhaktapur, causing significant mobility issues.
Pradeep Khatri, Chief of the District Traffic Police Office in Bhaktapur, said authorities have enforced one-way traffic on the under-construction road from Suryabinayak-Jagati towards Kavrepalanchok due to slippery and hazardous conditions caused by the rain.
The highway, which connects Bhaktapur and Kavre, is under expansion to a six-lane road. However, construction delays have made the Bhaktapur section particularly vulnerable during rainfall, prompting officials to restrict traffic to one-way movement on the Araniko Highway.
Khatri explained that only vehicles traveling from Kavre to Bhaktapur can pass through Sanga. Authorities have diverted light four-wheelers and two-wheelers traveling from Bhaktapur to Kavre via Chyamsing, Tathali, and Nala to reach Banepa.
Officials have stopped heavy goods vehicles heading from Bhaktapur to Kavre at Sallaghari Ground and Jagati. The Suryabinayak–Dhulikhel section, still under construction, becomes muddy and dangerous even after light rainfall.
Traffic police reported that vehicles risk skidding and falling hundreds of feet due to the slippery road. Large vehicles struggle to climb the uphill section and often sink into the muddy road, while smaller vehicles frequently skid and topple. Despite the growing risks during the rainy season, slow progress on roadwork has aggravated the situation.