Four days of continuous rain have turned the Daunne section of the East-West Highway into a muddy trap, leaving vehicles stranded and causing major traffic disruptions. The worst-affected areas are around Ghyukhola and 65 Mod, about 4 km west of Dumkibas.

Police Inspector Thaman Singh Rana of Dumkibas Police Office said officers are allowing vehicles to move alternately, as trucks and heavy vehicles struggle to climb the slippery road. Vehicles that reached Dumkibas at 3am were still unable to reach Bardaghat till 9 am, creating a 15 km-long traffic jam.

“Cars are moving at a snail’s pace, and trucks are stuck in the mud, which has made the jam longer,” Rana said.

Ram Bahadur Chaudhary, stranded in Daunne, said it took more than nine hours to cross the 9 km stretch. “We left Bhairahwa at 3 am. I’m still in Daunne, and it will take another two hours to reach Bardaghat,” he said.

The road has been in poor condition for the past seven years. Even light rain makes the stretch muddy and impassable. The China State Engineering Corporation, responsible for widening the highway, has yet to complete the work, leaving thousands of daily commuters struggling.

Of the 113 km of the Narayanghat-Butwal road, the 9 km stretch through Daunne is full of potholes and dust. Between Dumkibas in Nawalparasi East and Bardaghat in Nawalparasi West, only 5 km of the 14 km road is paved. Seven years after construction began, the road remains unfinished, frustrating travellers.