Kathmandu, October 10: The BP Highway, which was again obstructed due to the flash floods between Ashwin 17 and 19, is expected to reopen by Friday afternoon. The flood in the Roshi River, accompanied by mud and debris following two days of continuous rainfall, had washed away 3,410 meters of the 5,300-meter diversion section of the BP Highway.

According to site engineer Durga Prasad of the Bhaktapur Road Division, bulldozers were operated throughout Thursday night to repair the damaged diversion. Physical Infrastructure and Transport Minister Kulman Ghising inspected the affected site on Thursday and instructed the team to expedite the reconstruction work.

“We worked all night without rest. At present, work is ongoing at both the upper and lower Mamti sections. The upper Mamti section will be completed after filling with around 40–50 tipper loads of soil, while diversion work at the lower Mamti section is still in progress. We aim to reopen the BP Highway by 4 p.m. on Friday,” said engineer Durga Prasad.

Last year, between Ashwin 10 and 13, flash floods had cut off about 13 kilometers of the BP Highway, damaging nearly 24 kilometers of the road. A temporary diversion was constructed during the winter of that year to resume traffic. The highway had been brought back into operation within 13 days after Dashain last year. Before this year’s monsoon, the diversion was upgraded to ensure vehicular movement even during the rainy season.

However, the recent heavy rainfall on Ashwin 17 and 18 and the subsequent flooding destroyed most parts of the diversion, again halting transportation. Currently, vehicles are taking an alternative route from Khurkot through Manthali (Ramechhap district headquarters), Charikot (Dolakha district headquarters), and Khadichaur in Sindhupalchok, connecting to the Araniko Highway to reach Kathmandu. Drivers have reported difficulties as this route is narrow and one-way in several sections.