Nawalparasi, December 31
Traffic has yet to return to normal in the Daunne section of the Narayanghat–Butwal road, which has remained obstructed since Monday.
Vehicle movement has been severely affected after cold wave conditions made the Daunne road slippery, preventing vehicles from operating smoothly. With transport services halted, passengers have been facing significant hardship.
SP Yuvraj Khadka of the District Police Office, Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta East), said the situation became chaotic from Monday morning after vehicles began skidding and failing to climb uphill near the Khursani Khola area in Daunne.
“The problem is mainly in the western section of Daunne, where the road has become slippery and muddy due to the cold wave, making it difficult for vehicles to move uphill or downhill,” he said. “Vehicles are being allowed to pass gradually, but managing those stranded for the past three days has been challenging.”
Traffic has been extremely difficult due to dense fog and slippery roads in Daunne, according to Binod Joshi, Information Officer at the District Traffic Police Office, Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta East). He said traffic congestion continues from Dumkibas Bazaar onward, adding that long vehicle queues on the one-way highway due to ongoing road construction have made traffic management particularly difficult.
Engineer Bikash Khanal, Information Officer of the Narayanghat–Butwal Road Project (Western Section), said vehicle pressure remains high in the western section as cold wave conditions persist in the construction areas. He said gravel is currently being laid in the Khursani Khola area, and cargo vehicles have been stopped at Bardaghat and Bhutaha until conditions improve.
Hundreds of passengers have been stranded due to the traffic jam that has continued for three days. Issuing a notice, the Narayanghat–Butwal Road Project (Western Section) has requested vehicles other than those providing essential services to use alternative routes.
The project stated that vehicle operation in the Daunne section has been seriously affected due to road construction and maintenance work on one hand, and muddy conditions caused by the cold wave on the other.
