Infrastructure Development Minister Sunil Lamsal has announced that the Benighat Fisling alternative road is being upgraded to serve as a backup route if the Prithvi Highway is ever blocked at Krishnabhir by a disaster. The minister shared the update in a Facebook post on 12 October 2026 (Nepal time), confirming that construction work on the corridor is actively underway.
Why the Benighat Fisling Alternative Road Matters
Krishnabhir, on the busy Prithvi Highway between Kathmandu and western Nepal, has a long and well documented history of landslides that cut off the country’s main east to west connection. During monsoon seasons and major disaster events, falling debris and collapsing slopes at Krishnabhir can shut the highway for hours or even days, leaving travellers, transporters, and essential supply trucks stranded. The Ministry of Infrastructure Development has been maintaining the section and clearing blockages, but a single point of failure on such a strategic corridor makes a dependable alternative route essential for national road network resilience.
With the upgraded Benighat Fisling alternative road, small vehicles will be able to keep moving between destinations on either side of a Krishnabhir blockage instead of waiting for clearance teams to reopen the highway. The minister said the road is being built so small vehicles can operate when the Prithvi Highway is blocked at Krishnabhir due to a disaster.
What the Upgrade Work Covers
The Road Department, working under the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, is opening a two-lane track on about 2 km of road along the corridor. Alongside this, blacktopping and construction work is continuing through the province and local levels, so the route is being developed as a coordinated effort across tiers of government.
Opening a two-lane track is the first and most critical stage of road construction in hilly terrain. Once the formation is cut and the subgrade is stabilised, later layers of gravel and blacktop can be added section by section. Because the Road Department is handling the core 2 km stretch while province and local governments take up adjoining blacktopping and construction work, the corridor is being built up from both ends, which spreads the effort across levels of government.
This layered approach means the alternative corridor is not just a rough track, but a route that is being progressively brought up to a standard where it can carry light traffic reliably during emergencies. For local residents, it also promises improved day to day connectivity along the Benighat to Fisling belt.
A Resilience Boost for the Prithvi Highway Corridor
Building a usable alternative around a known landslide hotspot is a textbook step in disaster resilient road planning. Nepal’s road network carries the bulk of the country’s freight and passenger movement, and even short closures can have ripple effects on markets, tourism, and essential services. Having the Benighat Fisling alternative road ready as a standby route strengthens the entire corridor and gives road users a fallback option exactly when the main highway is at its most vulnerable.
For transport operators, the difference matters in practical terms. During the monsoon, an unexpected blockage at Krishnabhir can mean long queues of trucks and buses on both sides of the slide, burning fuel and hours while crews work to clear the debris. A functioning alternative corridor gives drivers a clear decision point: reroute through the Benighat Fisling alternative road and keep cargo moving, or wait at the blockage. Over a full season, those saved hours add up to real economic value for freight, tourism, and daily commuters alike.
Source: Minister Sunil Lamsal’s Facebook post, 12 October 2026.