Malekhu Muglin road maintenance is being accelerated ahead of the festival season, with pothole filling, drain cleaning and opening, and other essential repairs moving forward as a priority on one of Nepal’s busiest highway sections. Infrastructure Development Minister Sunil Lamsal said the upkeep work in the Krishnabhir area has been intensified so the road is safe and smooth for the coming surge of festival travel.
According to the minister, crews are filling potholes, cleaning and opening roadside drains, and carrying out the necessary road maintenance along the section. The Malekhu-Muglin stretch carries very heavy vehicle pressure, and the minister said the goal is to make it both safe and smooth as maintenance work proceeds at speed.
“The Malekhu-Muglin section, which carries very heavy vehicle pressure, is being made safe and smooth,” the minister said.
Malekhu Muglin road maintenance: what is being done
The Malekhu Muglin road maintenance program covers the stretch between Malekhu in Dhading and Muglin in Chitwan, including the Krishnabhir cliff section known for slope instability. Pothole filling restores the riding surface after monsoon damage, while cleaning and opening drains keeps water off the carriageway and protects the road base, addressing two of the most common causes of rapid deterioration on mountain highways.
Drainage work is especially important before the festival season. Blocked drains force rainwater across the road surface, eroding shoulders and creating new potholes within weeks. By clearing and reopening the drainage system now, road crews are trying to lock in the repairs before the heavy Dashain and Tihar traffic arrives.
Festival traffic on the Kathmandu-Pokhara corridor
Malekhu-Muglin is a key section of the Prithvi Highway, the main Kathmandu-Pokhara corridor and one of the busiest roads in Nepal. It carries freight, tourist coaches, and thousands of private vehicles every day, and that volume multiplies during Dashain and Tihar, when families travel across the country to celebrate with relatives.
The Krishnabhir area, with its steep cliffs and history of slope failures, has long been the most sensitive point on this corridor. Pre-festival maintenance here is a yearly priority for the Department of Roads, and this year’s accelerated Malekhu Muglin road maintenance follows that pattern, aiming to keep the country’s busiest tourist and trade corridor moving safely through the festive season. Road users have been asked to cooperate with maintenance crews and follow any temporary traffic arrangements while the Malekhu Muglin road maintenance work is underway.
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Source: Minister Sunil Lamsal’s Facebook post, October 6, 2026.