Ilam, July 13: Continuous rainfall has completely cut road links between the Tarai and the eastern hill districts of Ilam, Panchthar, and Taplejung after the Mechi Highway and both alternative routes were closed by floods and landslides.
The Mechi Highway remains blocked at Rajduwali in Ilam Municipality, Ward No. 9, where an old landslide has worsened. Floodwaters have washed away parts of the road, leaving it impassable for all vehicles.
“The highway is completely blocked. Neither small nor large vehicles can cross,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police Laxmi Bhandari, spokesperson for the District Police Office.
The Simlagolai Tilkeni road via the Jogmai River, which had been serving as an alternative for small vehicles, was also closed after Sunday’s flood damaged the diversion. The road approaches had already turned muddy, allowing only a handful of four-wheel drive vehicles to pass before the latest flooding.
The Kechana Kangchenjunga Road, also known as the Ilam Jhapa Fast Track, has also been shut after floodwaters submerged the diversion at Puwakhola. A newly installed Bailey bridge at Belase cannot be used because access through Puwakhola remains blocked.
Transport services across the Mechi hill region have been severely disrupted for nearly a month.
The Division Road Office said Bailey bridges planned for Jogmai and Puwakhola have been delayed because bridge components and technical teams from India have yet to arrive.
Division Road Office Chief Pawan Bhattarai said repair work is only possible during dry weather, while heavy machinery has been stationed at damaged sites for immediate use when conditions improve.
The closures have also disrupted the supply of essential goods. Freight trucks have been stranded for weeks on the Godak side of the damaged highway.
Ilam Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Chet Nath Paudel warned that fuel and food shortages could occur if road access is not restored soon.
The Rajduwali section, considered the lifeline of the Mechi region, has suffered repeated landslide damage for nearly three years and remains highly vulnerable, with officials warning that further rainfall could trigger more road closures.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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