Nepal’s key supply route, the Prithvi Highway, has remained closed since Wednesday morning following devastating floods, with no certainty over when full-fledged traffic will resume. The prolonged closure has raised concerns about disruptions to the supply of food and fuel to the Kathmandu Valley.

Spokesperson for the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office, Superintendent of Police Naresh Raj Subedi, said efforts were underway on a crisis footing, but authorities could not guarantee that the highway would be fully reopened on Friday, three days after the flood.

“We, however, cannot ascertain that the highway will be opened for traffic by Friday,” Subedi said.

The 180-km stretch from Nagdhunga, the main entry point to the Kathmandu Valley, to Bharatpur is a crucial supply route for food, fuel and other essential goods entering the capital.

Wednesday’s flash flood originating in the Bhote Koshi-Trishuli river system damaged at least 19 bridges and washed away roughly 40 kilometres of roads along the Trishuli corridor and adjoining highways.

Travel and high-alert warnings have been issued for sections of the Prithvi Highway, the Galchhi-Nuwakot-Rasuwa road and the Mugling-Narayanghat corridor as surging waters moved downstream, damaging roads and infrastructure.

Rajiv Manandhar, an engineer at the Department of Roads, said the Galchhi section had been cleared for alternating one-way traffic on Friday evening, while the Galaundi-Ghatbesi-Jarekhet section had been opened to two-way traffic.

However, the roads could be closed again if rainfall occurs, he said.

“We are trying to clear the mudslides, working the whole day. Let’s see how much can be done. Earthmovers are operating until 5 pm every day,” Manandhar said.

The disruption has raised concerns about the supply of essentials to the Kathmandu Valley ahead of the autumn festive season.

The Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection on Wednesday urged consumers to report any unscrupulous market activities, warning that traders could attempt to take advantage of the disaster by creating artificial shortages or engaging in black marketing.

The department said it and local administrations would continuously monitor markets to prevent artificial shortages and ensure the supply of daily essentials and services.

It has also asked consumers to lodge complaints through the complaint portal on its official website, hotline or email. The department said it would take strict action against activities that violate the law.

Wednesday’s mid-morning flash flood in the Bhote Koshi river system wreaked havoc across three districts–Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhading—killing scores of people and leaving hundreds missing, including security personnel and foreign tourists. It also swept away private and public property in one of the country’s worst disasters in recent years.

Netra Prasad Subedi, joint secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, said the ministry had established a coordination unit focusing on the festive-season market and disaster management.

The ministry has also directed government agencies concerned to establish similar coordination units, many of which have already been put into operation, including during public holidays, he said.

Inspections of sugar, onions and cooking gas will continue, Subedi said.

“As soon as the Prithvi Highway reopens, the supply of goods will ease. We will not let anyone create artificial shortages or hike prices. We will coordinate and conduct inspections to keep supply and prices under control,” he said.

Nepal Oil Corporation said its Thankot depot had enough petroleum products to last more than four to five days.

“Until then, the Prithvi Highway will also reopen. No one needs to panic over the supply of petroleum products,” said Manoj Kumar Thakur, deputy director of the corporation.

On Wednesday, the Chitwan District Administration halted all vehicles travelling to Kathmandu via Narayanghat after roads were blocked at Baireni and other locations along the Dhading section of the Prithvi Highway due to flooding in the Bhotekoshi river system.

The impact of the highway closure was already visible at the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market.

The Kalimati Fruits and Vegetable Market Development Board received 775 tonnes of vegetables, fruits and fish on Tuesday. The volume stood at 771 tonnes on Wednesday but nearly halved to 477 tonnes on Thursday.

“As the Prithvi Highway has been closed since Wednesday, goods have been stuck on the way to the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetable Market. Vegetables arriving via the Prithvi Highway have stopped completely, but supplies are still coming through other routes,” said Binay Shrestha, information officer at the board.

Consumer rights activists said the government needed to take immediate measures to ensure supplies and prevent traders from taking undue advantage of the disruption.

“Unless the government takes strict action against traders involved in unscrupulous market activities, there will be no change. Traders involved in black marketing, creating artificial shortages and hiking prices need to be punished with imprisonment as a crime against humanity,” said Bishnu Prasad Timilsina, general secretary of the Forum for Protection of Consumer Rights-Nepal.

The government should maintain supplies through alternative routes during crises and assure citizens that the state is present during difficult times, he said.

“In the absence of strict action, opportunist traders become active in tough situations like this to take advantage,” Timilsina said.

The Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection said it was conducting regular market inspections and had not launched any special inspection drive specifically following the disaster.

“We have requested everyone to complain if anyone is artificially creating a shortage or increasing prices. Once we receive a complaint, we will conduct a market inspection accordingly,” said Anil Kiratee, director at the Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection.