Krishna Bhir Road Open 2026: Latest Prithvi Highway & Kathmandu–Pokhara Travel Update

If you are travelling between Kathmandu and Pokhara, Chitwan or western Nepal, there is finally good news: the Krishna Bhir section of the Prithvi Highway is open again.

Two-way traffic resumed from 6:00 AM on September 17, 2026, after an 18-day disruption. Authorities built a new temporary track above the damaged highway section, allowing buses, tourist coaches, private vehicles and freight traffic to return to the main corridor.

However, “open” does not mean the entire Kathmandu–Mugling highway has completely returned to its pre-flood condition. The Krishna Bhir track remains a temporary restoration, and some other sections of the Prithvi Highway are still narrowed or undergoing repair.

Krishna Bhir Road Status: Quick Answer

The Department of Roads confirmed that the Krishna Bhir section would reopen fully from Ashoj 1, 2083, at 6:00 AM. Later that morning, authorities confirmed regular two-way traffic had begun.

What happened at Krishna Bhir?

Krishna Bhir lies along the Prithvi Highway in Benighat Rorang Rural Municipality, Dhading, on the vital Kathmandu–Mugling corridor.

Following the severe late-August flooding, the swollen Trishuli River eroded the base of the highway at Krishna Bhir. Around 100 metres of road was completely damaged, cutting the main highway connection between Kathmandu and much of western Nepal.

This was more complicated than a typical landslide where debris simply needs to be cleared.

Part of the road itself had disappeared.

That meant engineers had to create another usable alignment before normal traffic could return.

How was the highway reopened?

Instead of waiting for the original riverside road to be completely rebuilt, authorities cut a new track into the hillside above the damaged section.

The restored section is approximately 270 metres long. Work included track cutting, gravelling, compaction and drainage improvements. Heavy vehicles were first allowed through during a supervised trial on September 13 before the road was opened to normal two-way traffic four days later.

Road lights, drainage work and further strengthening measures have also been planned or carried out around the temporary section.

The important word here is temporary.

The road is usable again, but Krishna Bhir has not yet received its final long-term engineering solution.

Is the Kathmandu to Pokhara road open now?

Yes.

The reopening of Krishna Bhir restored the main road connection from Kathmandu towards Mugling and onward to Pokhara.

That means Kathmandu–Pokhara buses and tourist coaches can once again use the primary corridor instead of depending on the longer diversions that became necessary during the closure.

Travellers should still allow some extra time.

Several locations between Nagdhunga and Mugling were reported as narrowed to one lane because of flood damage and erosion even after Krishna Bhir reopened. These included sections around Galchhi, Baireni, Malekhu and other points along the corridor.

So the correct answer is:

Kathmandu to Pokhara road travel has resumed, but road conditions are not completely back to normal everywhere.

For a broader comparison of travelling to Pokhara, see GoMyGo’s Kathmandu to Pokhara travel guide.

What about Kathmandu to Chitwan, Butwal and western Nepal?

Krishna Bhir is located before Mugling for vehicles travelling out of Kathmandu, so its closure affected far more than the Kathmandu–Pokhara route.

Buses travelling toward Chitwan, Butwal, Bhairahawa, Nepalgunj, Dhangadhi and other western destinations also depend on this corridor.

With Krishna Bhir open again, long-distance buses can return to the more direct highway connection instead of relying heavily on alternative routes.

Travellers planning these journeys can also check:

Kathmandu to Chitwan Bus Guide

Kathmandu to Butwal Bus Guide

Kathmandu to Nepalgunj Bus Guide

Kathmandu to Dhangadhi Bus Guide

These internal links are useful not only for passengers but also for SEO because they connect the Krishna Bhir road-update page with the route pages directly affected by the highway.

Is Krishna Bhir completely safe and permanently fixed?

Not yet.

Traffic has resumed, but the current Krishna Bhir alignment is an emergency restoration rather than the final permanent solution.

The Department of Roads planned to monitor the new track before deciding on further surfacing and strengthening work. Engineers are also studying longer-term options for the area, including a possible tunnel, bypass bridge or alternative corridor.

One proposed alternative would connect Benighat with Fisling across the Trishuli area, creating another way around Krishna Bhir in the future.

That matters because Krishna Bhir has a long history of slope instability.

For passengers, however, the immediate situation is much simpler:

the road is open and buses are moving again.

What should passengers expect now?

If you are travelling through the Prithvi Highway, you no longer need to plan around the full Krishna Bhir closure.

But it is still sensible to:

• allow extra travel time during busy periods;

• expect slower traffic around narrow or repair sections;

• check your actual bus departure before leaving home;

• follow traffic or road instructions during heavy rain;

• avoid assuming that every part of the highway is completely restored just because Krishna Bhir has reopened.

Road conditions in Nepal can change quickly during monsoon and post-monsoon periods.

For official highway notices, passengers can also check the Department of Roads Krishna Bhir notice.

Booking Your Bus After the Krishna Bhir Reopening

With direct road connectivity restored, travellers heading from Kathmandu toward Pokhara, Chitwan and western Nepal can once again check regular bus services on GoMyGo.

Search your route, choose your travel date, compare available buses and seats, and check the latest departure information before travelling.

Check buses and book with GoMyGo

For passengers travelling through this corridor, the reopening removes one of the biggest uncertainties of the past few weeks.

Final Update

The situation at Krishna Bhir has changed significantly since this article was first published.

What was previously a story about when the Prithvi Highway might reopen now has a clear answer:

Krishna Bhir reopened to full two-way traffic on September 17, 2026.

A roughly 270-metre temporary track now carries vehicles past the section destroyed by Trishuli River erosion. Passenger buses, tourist coaches, private vehicles and freight traffic are using the corridor again.

The permanent engineering solution is still to come, and repair work continues elsewhere along the highway.

But for travellers asking the most important question—

“Is the Kathmandu–Pokhara road open?”

The answer today is:

Yes.