Nepal

Starting next Tuesday, the Narayangadh-Mugling road section will be closed to vehicular movement for four hours daily for a month to ease the construction of bridges along the highway.

At a stakeholders' meeting on Tuesday at the District Administration Office in Chitwan, it was decided to close the route between 11am and 3pm daily for a month beginning December 20. 

The traffic will be stopped during those periods for the construction of bridges at Simaltal, Kalikhola, Tuin Khola and Chisenji Khola, which are geographically difficult places.

The meeting has decided to stop passenger buses, mini, microbuses and small vehicles going towards Narayangadh from Pandhrakilo Bazar to Jugedi at 11am. Similarly, heavy vehicles such as cargo trucks, trailers, trippers, and tankers will be stopped from Bhateri Jungle to Ramnagar from 10:50am.

Passenger vehicles coming from Kathmandu will be stopped at Mugling Bazaar to Manakamana Cable Car Gate and passenger vehicles coming from Pokhara will be stopped at Benitar to Powerhouse at 10:55am. Similarly, the meeting decided to stop cargo vehicles coming from Kathmandu at Lebatar and cargo vehicles coming from Pokhara at Ambu Khairahani at 10:45am.

The traffic halt does not apply to emergency vehicles like ambulances and fire trucks. 

The traffic police will coordinate the smooth operation of Pokhara-Kathmandu traffic. 

The builders are said to be mobilising sufficient resources and manpower to speed up the construction works.