Efforts are underway to clear a landslide at Ghoptebhir in Ichchhakamana Rural Municipality-4, Chitwan, along the Prithvi Highway, after debris blocked the road early Monday morning. Crews have deployed heavy equipment from both ends of the affected stretch in an attempt to reopen the highway to two-way traffic.

According to Sajana Adhikari, chief of the western section of the Nagdhunga-Muglin Road Project, a loader from the Road Division Office in Bharatpur is clearing debris from the Muglin side.

From the Kathmandu side, two excavators, a backhoe loader and a loader have been deployed. Adhikari said one excavator would be sent towards Muglin to help clear the debris once part of the road had been cleared from the Kathmandu side.

She said work was progressing at a fast pace and the highway could reopen by 1pm, provided there were no further landslides. Repeated falls of dry debris at the site have slowed the clearance work, she added.

The highway had been reopened after crews cleared a landslide that occurred at 1am. However, another landslide struck at 5am, prompting immediate clearance efforts from the Kathmandu side.

Adhikari said equipment had to be brought from Bharatpur to begin work because the necessary machinery was not available on the Muglin side.

The landslide-prone stretch lies about three kilometres from Muglin towards Malekhu. A similar dry landslide occurred at the site on Sunday, briefly disrupting traffic during the day.

Vehicles carrying passengers travelling home for Tihar have been halted along the highway following the latest disruption.