The Divisional Road Office (DRO) has started work to open a 26-kilometre alternative track to connect Barhabise with Tatopani in Sindhupalchok district after a flashflood last week destroyed much of the road.

The under-construction Middle Bhotekoshi Hydropower Project is providing financial assistance to open the road from Chaku to Khohra. The DRO has started construction in the remaining section of the road up to Tatopani.

The project has already opened the alternative way from Chaku. The project is using three excavators at the site. Chief of the 102 megawatt project Sunil Kumar Lama said landslides continue to occur in Khohra and other areas. Senior civil engineer Sanjay Sapkota said construction works will be completed in a week though the river is still eroding sections of the Araniko Highway.

Chief District Officer Gokarna Mani Duwadi said there are still risks of landslides in Khora, Hindi, Dashkilo, Tatopani and Liping areas. Ashok Tiwari, chief of the DRO in Charikot, said they are taking a risk to open the track from 500 metres ahead of Barhabise. “Also, a Chinese Survey team has been studying ways to control landslides in risky zones,” said Tiwari. The DRO has also started construction works from the Lamosanghu-Jure area.

It is estimated that at least Rs1 billion will be needed to repair the ravaged sections of the highway. Local authorities say they need around Rs600 million to control landslides in five places. The damaged road sections will be repaired in a month.

The Bhotekoshi river has swept away road sections at several places after a flash flood on July 5.