Process initiated to open a diversion at the blocked Krishnabhir section

CHITWAN:- Work has begun on cutting into the hillside to construct a diversion at Krishnabhir, where the Prithvi Highway had collapsed and become blocked. Suresh Paudel, a Senior Divisional Engineer at the Department of Roads, stated that the process for building the diversion was initiated based on the recommendations and reports of technicians and experts.

“As part of the process to open the diversion, the initial clearing work—prior to cutting into the cliff face alongside the road—has been completed,” he said. “With the clearing and brush removal finished, the experts’ design for the diversion’s construction has been received, and work on the ground will proceed accordingly.”

The Prithvi Highway Muglin-Malekhu Construction Project has been assigned the task of cutting the cliff face. Project Engineer Dhiraj Dhakal confirmed that work on the cliff cutting has commenced.

“We are carrying out the cliff-cutting work from both sides. An excavator will be deployed on each side for this purpose,” he said. He mentioned that small bushes and trees are currently being cleared before the actual cliff-cutting begins.

He also informed that 15 experts and technicians, along with 60 workers and the necessary equipment, have already been deployed to the highway for the cliff-cutting operation.

A meeting of experts—led by Gopal Prasad Sigdel, Secretary of the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, and attended by Department of Roads Director General Bijay Jaisi—was held on Tuesday regarding the opening of a diversion at Krishnabhir. Assessing the potential for further risks arising from erosion at the site, the meeting concluded that cutting into the cliff face was necessary as a compulsory, short-term measure to keep the highway operational.

The meeting had directed the Geotechnical Society to prepare a technical design for the slope excavation that would minimize risk. Kalpana Adhikari, the Society’s General Secretary, stated that the Society has prepared and provided the design.

“Excavating the Krishnabhir slope is a complex and serious matter. However, opening the diversion is unavoidable,” she said. “Special care has been taken to ensure that the excavation causes minimal technical damage.”

“A technical recommendation has been made to cut into the hillside along the highway—creating two lanes if possible, or otherwise one lane,” he said.

Due to continuous erosion by the Trishuli River, a 120-meter stretch of the highway at Krishnabhir collapsed completely last Sunday. Preparations are underway to excavate a section of the hillside—seven meters wide and 150 meters long—to create a diversion.

Experts have pointed out that the need to face further risks could have been avoided had the diversion been opened only after conducting a geotechnical assessment of the unstable terrain at Krishnabhir. General Secretary Adhikari, who is also a Senior Divisional Engineer at the Department of Roads, notes the current compulsion to reopen the road immediately.

“A review of the risks at Krishnabhir is necessary for a long-term solution. However, right now, there is public pressure to reopen the highway,” she said.