Repair works along the Naubise-Nagdhunga stretch have caused hours-long traffic jams on the busy Tribhuvan Highway.

There was a 30km long traffic jam of vehicles to and from Kathmandu in the area on Tuesday morning. Hundreds of passengers travelling home for Dashain have been affected due to regular traffic jams on the stretch.

Repair work being carried out on the 15km section from Khanikhola to Naubise, aimed at easing regular traffic snarls, during night causes gridlocks even in the morning every day.

Renovation and blacktopping of the road were intensified after the section was badly damaged due to the movement of heavy vehicles. Since the Division Road Office, Kathmandu-2 did not issue prior notice about its plan to carry out works from 8pm on Monday to 3am on Tuesday by halting vehicular movement, long-haul vehicles were stuck the whole night. As a result, passengers were forced to sleep inside the buses on empty stomach.

Vehicular movement along the Thankot-Peepalmod road section, the main entry point to Kathmandu, will be obstructed for three nights due to the ongoing works.

According to the road division office, long-route vehicles cannot pass the stretch between 8pm and 5am owing to the renovation works.

Inspector Uddhav Pokharel of the Area Police Office Khanikhola said the road section reopened at 8am on Tuesday as the renovation work supposed to start at 8pm started only at 11pm on Monday.