CHITWAN: A massive landslide near the Tuin Khola bridge around 5 p.m. Tuesday has once again obstructed the vital Muglin–Narayangadh road section, leaving more than 10,000 vehicles stranded and thousands of travelers in limbo just weeks before the Dashain festival.

According to the Bharatpur Road Division Office, minor rock and soil slips began around 11 a.m. Tuesday and turned into a continuous slide by 1 p.m., completely cutting off the highway.

By evening, the landslide had worsened, burying large sections of the road and making it impassable for all traffic. The Chitwan District Administration Office issued a public notice Tuesday night urging travelers and drivers not to wait near the blocked section and instead use alternative routes.

“Do not risk your life by traveling through unsafe sections. Safety comes first, travel can wait,” the notice read. Officials emphasized that waiting near the landslide site only heightened the danger.

Authorities have diverted light vehicles weighing under 10 tons through routes in Bardibas (Mahottari), Hetauda (Makwanpur), Butwal (Rupandehi), Kawasoti and Gaindakot (Nawalparasi Bardghat Susta East), Naubise (Dhading), and Aanbukhaireni (Tanahun).

Heavy trucks remain halted on both sides of the blockage. Police and road division staff have been deployed to manage stranded passengers and ensure their safety.

Engineers at the site described the current slide as larger than the one that blocked the road for 46 hours a few months ago.

“The upper slope remains unstable, and landslides have not stopped. Until the sliding ceases, clearance work cannot begin,” said engineer Arjun Ghimire.

The Muglin–Narayangadh section links Kathmandu with the southern plains and India, has long been notorious for landslide risks.

Experts attribute the recurring problem to fractured rock formations that crack easily under rain and heat. While stabilization works, including rock nets and shotcrete, had been planned for the upcoming winter, officials now warn that far larger interventions may be required.

For assistance and updated information, authorities have provided contact numbers:

DSP Rabindra Khanal, Spokesperson, Chitwan District Police Office – 9855013999

Madan Lama Thing, Spokesperson, Chitwan District Administration Office – 9855092200

Krishna Prasad Acharya, Spokesperson, Bharatpur Road Division – 9855092218