The Narapas Hilsa road reopened after snow was cleared from a blocked section of the Karnali Corridor, according to an update shared on 20 October 2026. Heavy snowfall had closed the section and interrupted travel through the mountain route.
How the Narapas Hilsa road reopened at high altitude
The affected section sits at about 4,500 metres, where conditions can change quickly and snow can build up across the road. Crews used heavy equipment to move the snow and make the surface passable again for vehicles. The work restored a link that had been cut off, allowing movement to resume along the corridor after the blockage was removed.
With the road back in operation, Nepali citizens who had traveled to Taklakot in China for work can return home more easily. The timing matters during the festival season, when many people travel to be with family and delays on a mountain road can leave workers stranded far from home. The reopening reduces that uncertainty for people waiting to complete the journey back to Nepal.
Target set on 16 October now met
On 16 October, Minister Sunil Lamsal reported that a ministry division team was clearing snow at Naurapani on the same Narapas to Hilsa stretch. He described the work as difficult and risky, and set a target to reopen the road within three days. That target has now been met, with the cleared section open again after work in demanding high altitude conditions.
Why the Karnali Corridor matters
The Karnali Corridor is the strategic northern road link through Humla toward the Hilsa border point with China. For remote mountain districts, the route is important for supplies, travel and cross border work movement, and in many places there are few practical alternatives when the road closes. Communities along the corridor depend on regular movement of goods and people, so even a short closure can affect daily life, local trade and access to services.
Winter weather and snowfall at high altitude regularly threaten the link. Snow, ice and poor visibility can make clearing work slow, and conditions above the lower valleys require careful planning and suitable equipment. Keeping the road open before major festivals matters for families who expect relatives home, for workers returning from across the border, and for traders who rely on predictable travel.
What happens next for travelers
Travelers can now use the reopened section, but high altitude parts of the route remain weather dependent. Further snowfall or changing conditions could affect travel, so people planning to use the road should allow for the uncertainty that comes with a mountain corridor at this elevation. For now, the message from the update is simple: the Narapas Hilsa road reopened on schedule, and the route is passable again.
The reopening will be welcomed in Humla and nearby districts, where a single road closure can delay supplies and separate families at an important time of year.
Source: Minister Sunil Lamsal’s Facebook post, 20 October 2026
Related reading: Karnali Corridor snow clearing and Bheri Corridor road progress