CHITWAN: To immediately clear landslides occurring on the Narayangadh–Muglin road section, heavy equipment including excavators, loaders, and tippers has been stationed at three locations.

According to Engineer Arjun Ghimire from the Division Road Office, Bharatpur, the equipment has been positioned to reach landslide sites swiftly, as muddy landslides are frequent during the monsoon season.

According to him, a loader is stationed at Muglin, while a comprehensive set of equipment—including a loader, excavator, backhoe loader, tipper, trailer, and mini-excavator—is kept at Seti Dobhan.

At Tuin Khola, where a construction contract was recently awarded, the construction company has managed its own excavator and loader.

As soon as a landslide occurs in that stretch, nearby equipment will be deployed immediately to clear it.

The machinery stationed at Tuin Khola will primarily be operated to clear landslides specifically in that local area under normal conditions. However, Engineer Ghimire noted that if a large-scale landslide occurs, additional heavy equipment will be requested from the Heavy Equipment Offices in Hetauda and Pokhara.

He informed that both equipment and manpower have been kept on standby to clear blockages as soon as a landslide hits.

With the start of the monsoon, small and large landslides are occurring almost daily, and efforts are ongoing to clear the debris and keep the road operational.

There are 43 landslide-prone spots along this highway, ranging from moderate to high risk.

Among them, seven locations are categorized as high-risk, while the rest fall into the moderate-risk category.

Dry landslides occur along this section even during the winter season.

Thousands of vehicles from various parts of the country pass through this highway daily to enter and leave the capital, making it a vital lifeline for Kathmandu.