Transportation came to a halt along the Mechi Highway on Tuesday due to the strike enforced by the protesters lobbying for an identity-based nomenclature of the Koshi Province. 

The protesters enforced transportation closure demanding the unconditional release of two activists who were arrested on charges of vandalising a car that CPN-UML leader Yogesh Bhattarai was travelling in. 

Transportation was largely disrupted along the Phidim-Taplejung section and Phidim-Ilam section.