The Prithvi Highway Galaundi road reopening took a major step forward on Saturday, October 10, 2026, after an alternative road between Ghatbesi and Galaundi was repaired and opened to traffic. The update came just hours after the morning announcement that reopening work had started on the blocked section of the highway at Galaundi, near Gajuri in Dhading.
The Prithvi Highway is one of Nepal’s most important road corridors, connecting the capital Kathmandu with the tourist city of Pokhara and carrying a large share of passenger and freight traffic to western Nepal. During the monsoon season, the highway is frequently disrupted by landslides and slope failures, while stretches along the Trishuli River are also exposed to erosion that undermines the road surface.
In a separate morning update, overnight landslides that had blocked the BP Highway and the Kanti Highway were cleared, restoring movement on those routes as well.
The key development at Galaundi is a roughly one kilometre alternative road from Ghatbesi to Galaundi that crews have repaired and brought back into service. Vehicles with up to six wheels can now use the temporary route, which allows traffic to move while permanent repairs continue on the main alignment.
In his update, Infrastructure Development Minister Sunil Lamsal noted that the alternative road “is now open for vehicles up to six wheels,” describing it as an important step toward restoring full movement on the corridor.
Meanwhile, back-cutting work is continuing on the section where the road surface subsided after being eroded by the Trishuli River. The track on that damaged stretch is targeted to open by Saturday evening, according to the minister’s update, as part of the Prithvi Highway Galaundi road reopening effort.
Prithvi Highway Galaundi road reopening: why the alternative route matters
The temporary route matters because it restores a basic level of connectivity without waiting for the full repair of the eroded main road. Repeated closures this monsoon have already disrupted travel and trade between Kathmandu and Pokhara, and even a short bypass that can handle medium-sized vehicles gives transporters, traders, and daily commuters a way to keep moving.
Officials and road crews are expected to keep monitoring the slope and the river’s behaviour as work proceeds, since fresh rainfall could slow the final stages of the reopening. For communities along the highway, each incremental gain in connectivity reduces the risk of stranded vehicles and delayed supplies.
Source: Minister Sunil Lamsal’s Facebook posts, October 10, 2026, including this video update and a post on his official Facebook page.
Related: Betrawati Bailey Bridge Launched: River Spanned, Transport to Open Saturday; Tatopani Border Road Repair: Retaining Walls and Landslide Clearing Speed Up.