The BP Highway has been completely blocked after landslides came down at two separate locations in Kavrepalanchok district, halting all vehicular movement along one of the principal routes connecting the Kathmandu valley with the hill districts and the eastern Terai. The obstructions have occurred at Pinthali in Roshi Rural Municipality-9 and at Gimdibeshi in Roshi Rural Municipality-8, and police say the road cannot be reopened immediately because rain is still falling over the area. As reported by Khabarhub and Ratopati, the District Police Office has confirmed the complete blockage and appealed to the public to remain cautious before setting out on any journey along the route.
Two Landslide Sites Seal Off the Highway
According to Rabin Bista, the information officer at the District Police Office, the BP Highway has been obstructed at two points within Roshi Rural Municipality, with debris completely covering the carriageway in both sections. The two obstruction points are:
- Pinthali, in Roshi Rural Municipality-9, where a landslide has brought the movement of vehicles to a standstill
- Gimdibeshi, in Roshi Rural Municipality-8, where a second slide has further cut off the highway
With landslides blocking the road at more than one location, traffic along the affected section has come to a complete halt. Vehicles that had set out along the highway before the slides came down have been left with no way through the obstructed stretch, while travellers planning to use the route have been forced to postpone or rethink their journeys until clearance work can begin.
The fact that the highway has been blocked at two separate spots in the same rural municipality underlines how widespread the slope failure has been along this section of the route. Roshi Rural Municipality lies along the BP Highway corridor in Kavrepalanchok, and the terrain through which the road passes is vulnerable to slides whenever heavy and sustained rainfall saturates the hillsides above it.
Continuous Rain Keeps Reopening on Hold
The most immediate obstacle to restoring traffic is the weather itself. Bista made clear that the road cannot be reopened immediately because the rain is continuing in the area. As long as the showers persist, conditions remain unfavourable for clearing the debris that has accumulated at Pinthali and Gimdibeshi, and no firm timeline for reopening the highway could be given.
Continuing rainfall not only adds fresh material to the obstructed sections but also keeps the slopes above the highway unstable, delaying the resumption of safe two-way traffic. Until the weather improves and the debris is removed, the blocked stretch of the BP Highway will remain out of bounds for all vehicles, and the duration of the disruption will depend largely on when the rain eases and clearance operations can proceed.
Police Urge Travellers to Check Road Status First
In light of the blockage, the District Police Office has issued a clear advisory to the public. Bista urged travellers to check the condition of the highway before beginning any journey along the route. The advice is particularly significant for commuters, transport operators and others who regularly depend on the BP Highway, as setting out without first confirming the status of the road risks leaving drivers and passengers stranded at the obstruction points.
The police appeal effectively asks the public to treat the highway as closed until official confirmation of reopening is issued. For anyone whose travel is essential, verifying the latest road condition with authorities before departure is being presented as the safest course of action while the blockage at Roshi Rural Municipality remains in place.
Monsoon Disruption, a Recurring Challenge on Mid-Hill Routes
The blockage of the BP Highway is the latest instance of a problem that repeatedly affects Nepal's road network during the rainy season. Highways that thread through the mid-hills, including the BP corridor, regularly face landslides when prolonged rain loosens soil and rock on the slopes above the carriageway, and single-point obstructions can sever road links between the capital region and the districts to the south and east for hours or even days at a time.
The BP Highway, named after the late prime minister B.P. Koirala, passes through the hilly terrain of Kavrepalanchok as it links the valley-side corridor with Sindhuli and the plains beyond. Because it traverses steep and geologically fragile ground, the route is especially exposed during spells of continuous rain, and authorities routinely caution travellers to keep themselves informed about the state of the road during the monsoon months. The current closure at Pinthali and Gimdibeshi fits this familiar seasonal pattern, in which the safety of road users must be balanced against the urgency of restoring connectivity.
For now, travellers intending to use the BP Highway have been left waiting for two things to change: the rain to relent and the debris at the two slide sites to be cleared. Until then, the guidance from the District Police Office stands: confirm the condition of the highway before you travel, and do not assume the route is open.