Kathmandu’s Major Highways Blocked as Long Lines of Trucks and Buses Build Up in Hetauda

Heavy rain and landslides have disrupted several of the main roads connecting Kathmandu with the rest of Nepal, leaving long lines of cargo trucks and passenger buses waiting in Hetauda as traffic is diverted onto the limited routes still open.

The Prithvi Highway and Narayangadh–Muglin road have been hit by landslides at multiple locations, while several alternative roads linking Hetauda with Kathmandu are also facing closures. The disruption has increased pressure on the Tribhuvan Highway, one of the few routes currently being used to move essential supplies and passengers towards the capital.

Hetauda becomes a traffic bottleneck

Hetauda has become a major holding point for vehicles heading towards Kathmandu.

Trucks carrying food, fuel and other goods, along with passenger buses, have been diverted towards the Tribhuvan Highway after disruptions on the Prithvi Highway and Narayangadh–Muglin route.

The increase in traffic has been particularly challenging because the Tribhuvan Highway is an older, relatively narrow mountain road that was not designed to handle the volume of traffic normally carried by the Prithvi Highway.

The road usually handles only around 50 to 60 vehicles a day under normal conditions, but its traffic has increased sharply whenever the main highway to Kathmandu is blocked.

Alternative Hetauda-Kathmandu routes also affected

The disruption is not limited to the main highway.

The Bhimphedi–Kulekhani–Fakhel route has been closed since Friday after landslides struck the road at Kaura in Makwanpur’s Indrasarowar Rural Municipality-2.

The Kanti Highway has also been blocked by landslides, including at Ghattepakha in Bakaiya Rural Municipality-12. Clearing work is underway, but continuing rainfall is making road restoration difficult.

The Kanti Lokpath is also blocked on the Lalitpur side after landslides in the Bhattedanda area. Reports from Nepal Police indicate that landslides at Pandur and Takurche in Bagmati Rural Municipality-3 and Bikhendhara in Godawari Municipality-6 have disrupted the route.

With these alternatives affected, traffic is being concentrated on the Tribhuvan Highway.

Traffic restrictions introduced for safety

The District Administration Office in Makwanpur has introduced time slots for vehicles using the Tribhuvan Highway between Hetauda and Kathmandu.

The restrictions are intended to prevent the narrow mountain road from becoming overwhelmed and to reduce safety risks caused by heavy traffic.

Authorities have also prohibited cargo vehicles longer than 10 wheels and carrying more than 15 tonnes from using the highway, except vehicles transporting fuel and LPG. Passenger buses longer than 11 metres are also restricted.

Vehicles are being allowed to travel during designated time windows depending on their direction.

Officials have asked drivers and transport operators to follow the assigned schedules rather than attempting to use the road outside the permitted periods.

Prithvi Highway remains a major problem

The disruption on the Prithvi Highway is one of the biggest factors behind the current congestion.

Multiple sections of the highway in Dhading have been affected by landslides, including areas around Krishnabhir, Tingrangkhani and other vulnerable stretches. Some sections have reopened to one-way traffic after debris was cleared, but other locations remain blocked.

The Narayangadh–Muglin road is facing a similar problem. A landslide near the Namsi River has obstructed the route, while authorities have continued clearance work.

Because these roads form the main western connection to Kathmandu, even short-term closures can quickly create major traffic and supply problems.

Capital’s supply routes under pressure

The Tribhuvan Highway has repeatedly become an emergency lifeline for Kathmandu when the country’s main highways are blocked.

The route connects Hetauda with Kathmandu through Bhimphedi, Palung, Daman and Naubise. Although it carries comparatively little traffic during normal periods, its role changes dramatically when the Prithvi Highway or Narayangadh–Muglin road becomes unusable.

At present, the pressure is being felt most visibly in Hetauda, where trucks and buses are waiting for their designated opportunity to travel towards the capital.

The situation also illustrates a wider vulnerability in Nepal’s road network: several alternative routes exist between Kathmandu and Hetauda, but heavy rainfall has affected multiple routes simultaneously.

More roads affected across Nepal

The problems around Hetauda are part of a wider disruption caused by several days of heavy rainfall.

The Department of Roads has reported blockages or restrictions on sections of the BP Highway, Mid-Hill Highway, Kanti Highway, Karnali Highway and Kaligandaki Corridor, among others.

Authorities are deploying machinery to clear landslides and restore traffic where conditions allow, but continued rain means that newly cleared roads can remain vulnerable to further landslides and flooding.

For travellers heading to Kathmandu, authorities are therefore urging caution and advising people to check road conditions before starting their journey.

For now, Hetauda remains one of the key pressure points in the country’s effort to keep supplies and passenger traffic moving towards the capital while multiple major routes remain disrupted.