Chitwan, Nepal – Traffic on the Narayangadh–Muglin road has been completely blocked for more than 36 hours after a massive landslide struck near Tuiun Khola on Sunday morning. Efforts to clear the debris are ongoing, but heavy rain and unstable slopes have slowed progress. As a result, thousands of passengers and hundreds of vehicles remain stuck on the highway.
Passengers Struggle as Relief Teams Respond
Saroj Sitoula, Senior Vice President of the Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs, said more than 20,000 passengers had booked tickets over the past two to three days. With the highway closed, most have been forced to wait inside their vehicles. “Normally, it takes six to seven hours to cross this stretch, but right now the journey has become much more difficult,” he said.
Local authorities and community groups are distributing food and providing emergency support to stranded travelers. Transport operators have given passengers two choices: cancel their trip for a refund, or wait until the road reopens. “We have stopped selling new tickets for now. Our main focus is on the passengers who are already stranded,” Sitoula added.
Road Clearance Delayed, Risks Still High
Bulldozers and heavy equipment are working to remove the landslide, but continuous rainfall and fresh slides have made it impossible to say when traffic will resume. Experts describe this stretch as one of Nepal’s most vulnerable highways and have urged travelers to avoid unnecessary risks.
