Daunne, June 23: Cargo transportation along the Narayangadh–Butwal road section has come to a standstill, with goods-laden trucks stranded for six consecutive days at Daunne and the Binayi River in Nawalpur due to repeated flooding. The floodwaters have washed away temporary diversions over the Binayi River multiple times, severely affecting supply routes. Rajesh BK, a truck driver en route from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj, described the ordeal of being stuck mid-journey. “I spent three nights in my truck, inside the forest, enduring unbearable heat. I had hardly anything to eat until I reached the Arunkhola market,” he recounted.

Inspector Janak Banjara, Chief of the District Traffic Police Office, said many vehicles have been trapped in the area for days. “Some have turned back, while others continue to wait for clearance,” he said. “We’ve moved vehicles from narrow, forested areas to open spaces to ensure better access to food and shelter.”

Westbound trucks have been queuing near the Binayi River, while eastbound vehicles, including trucks and buses, remain stuck along the slopes of Daunne hill.

After eight washouts, the district administration has announced it will no longer construct temporary diversions across the Binayi River at Dumkibas. Officials have also imposed a nightly suspension of vehicular movement—from 7:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.—until further notice.

Chief District Officer Bhawishwar Pandey explained that the use of diversions became necessary after a bridge over the Binayi River collapsed on January 10 due to excessive load from heavy trucks. However, continued flooding has rendered the diversions unsafe. “In a recent incident, a passenger bus was swept away while attempting to cross the diversion at midnight on Friday,” Pandey said. “This prompted an immediate halt to the use of such temporary crossings.”

People's News Monitoring Service