The decision comes after three Chinese companies qualified for the final round, raising fresh uncertainty over a project meant to irrigate 122,000 hectares across five districts.

Authorities aim to restore road access to the Chinese border before rebuilding permanently, while also considering an expressway to Kerung in place of a proposed railway.

Server outages and excessive fees have added to applicants’ woes. Legal hurdles have delayed plans for new centres.

The Kathmandu Road Division has invited bids for upgrading 1.5km of access roads at an estimated cost of Rs69.8 million, ahead of international cricket tournaments.

The proposed routes would connect Badimalika in the west and Pathibhara in the east, with a six-month study to assess costs, environmental impacts and possible road alignments.

Two years after floods damaged the highway, unfinished roads, narrow bridges and a surge in festive traffic are making the journey back to Kathmandu miserable.

Police say traffic is being managed as more people leave Kathmandu Valley for the festival, while transport operators warn that repeated road closures are disrupting journeys.

Traffic will be halted from 11pm Monday to 5am Tuesday at Galaudi in Dhading, where a section of the road subsided last week.

A 73-metre bridge over the Phalakhu river has reopened the route between the two districts, whose road connection was severed by floods in August.

Passengers can buy tickets at major bus stations or through online platforms as transport operators prepare for the annual homecoming rush.

Repairs are underway in Manang, Mustang, Baglung and Rasuwa, but damaged bridges and approach roads continue to disrupt direct road links.

Route permits will be opened nationwide from Ghatasthapana to Purnima to ease festival travel.

Extremely poor families could receive at least Rs75,000 in federal and provincial support to build their first home, while buildings over 50 years old would face mandatory safety assessments.

Law, infrastructure and finance ministers say existing laws will be amended to create a more investment- and business-friendly environment.

Major highways damaged by floods and landslides are reopening, easing travel and daily life ahead of Dashain.