The Rajduwali section of the Mechi Highway, which had been blocked for two weeks due to landslides, reopened on Saturday evening.

A team of technicians, along with geologist Madhusudan Acharya, had been working to clear the road. The stretch had remained obstructed since October 4 after days of heavy rainfall triggered multiple landslides.

Despite the use of both manpower and machinery, the work had been delayed as water mixed with mud continued to seep from underground, causing cracks and subsidence along the road.

According to Pawan Bhattarai, chief of the Ilam Road Division, the road was reopened for traffic at around 8:30 pm on Saturday after 14 days of effort. He said that work for a permanent solution to the Rajduwali obstruction would be carried out alongside ongoing maintenance.

With the reopening, vehicles travelling between Taplejung, Panchthar, Ilam and Jhapa have resumed operations. During the closure, authorities had opened the Simlagola–Tilkeni road as an alternative route, but the narrow and unpaved section had caused difficulties for vehicles carrying food and fuel supplies.