Kathmandu, Oct 9: Continuous monsoon rains and floods this year have caused severe damage to road infrastructure across Nepal, hitting last year’s unrepaired flood-damaged roads further. Among the hardest hit is the Mechi Highway, a lifeline for the far eastern region, where sections of the road have been washed out, halting transport across Jhapa, Ilam, Panchthar, and Taplejung districts.

The 268-kilometer highway connecting Charali in Jhapa to Taplejung has been cut off, disrupting supply chains for essential goods. According to Pawan Bhattarai, chief of Road Division Ilam, repair work has begun at the most critical section, the Rajduwali stretch in Mai Khola, Ilam, where traffic has been fully blocked. Temporary arrangements allow passengers to walk 1.5 kilometers to board vehicles, but freight and essential supplies remain halted. Repairs are expected to take at least a week, requiring geotechnical assessment before work can proceed.

Other damaged sections along the highway include Jorkalas (1,000m), Fikkal Godak (800m), Godak Mai Khola (2,000m), Mai Khola Rajduwali (1,700m), Ilam Dhovidhara (15m), Dhovidhara Nepal Tar (5,900m), Nepal Tar Ranke (6,000m), and Ranke–Fidim (4,500m). The estimated physical loss from these damages exceeds Rs 235.7 million.

Repairing the Mechi Highway is projected to cost around Rs 150 million. Bridges along the route have suffered significant damage: Mai Khola Bridge’s washout caused Rs 30 million loss, and rebuilding a 120-meter single-span bridge will cost Rs 60 million. Hewha Khola and Puwa Khola bridges require new 80-meter single-span structures costing Rs 42 million and Rs 25 million respectively. Jogmai Bailey Bridge, damaged by 40 meters of washout, will need a new 55–60 meter bridge at Rs 22 million. Other minor bridge repairs add several more crores to the total estimate.

Bhattarai said ongoing repair work is in progress with 5–6 pieces of heavy equipment at critical points, but full restoration of the highway depends on conditions on the ground. Alternative routes like Dharan–Dhankuta–Manglung–Phidim are being used to partially restore connectivity for Panchthar and Taplejung, but Ilam remains largely isolated.

The government and the Department of Roads have emphasized that reconstruction will require phased work, significant funding, and careful geotechnical planning to restore the Mechi Highway fully, which is crucial for transport, trade, and the livelihoods of far eastern communities.

People’s News Monitoring Service