Mahendra Highway (), also called East-West Highway () runs across the
Terai
The Terai or Tarai is a lowland region in northern India and southern Nepal that lies south of the outer foothills of the Himalayas, the Sivalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. This lowland belt is characterised by tall grasslands, scr ...
geographical region of
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
, from
Mechinagar
Mechinagar ( ne, मेचीनगर) is a municipality in Jhapa District, Province No. 1, Nepal and is the main entry point from India on Nepal's eastern border. Nepal's custom office is in Kakarvitta ( ne, काँकडभिट्टा), ...
in the east to
Bhim Datta in the west, cutting across the entire width of the country. It is the longest highway in Nepal and was constructed by cooperation of various countries.
Overview
The highway is mostly a single lane in each direction. It is a major infrastructure element because east–west travel was previously limited to the
Hulaki Highway built during the Rana regime, expensive and limited air travel, or Nepalese trains and buses. The highway crosses the
Terai
The Terai or Tarai is a lowland region in northern India and southern Nepal that lies south of the outer foothills of the Himalayas, the Sivalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. This lowland belt is characterised by tall grasslands, scr ...
from east to west for over .
Connecting Nepal from
Kakarbhitta
Kakarbhitta (often written and pronounced Kakadbhitta or Kakarvitta) is a neighbourhood in Mechinagar Municipality in Jhapa District of Province No. 1, southeastern Nepal.
Demographics
At the time of the 1991 Nepal census, Mechinagar had a popul ...
(
Mechinagar Municipality
Mechinagar ( ne, मेचीनगर) is a municipality in Jhapa District, Province No. 1, Nepal and is the main entry point from India on Nepal's eastern border. Nepal's custom office is in Kakarvitta ( ne, काँकडभिट्टा), ...
) to West Mahendra Nagar in the east, this is the longest highway in Nepal till now. Bharatpur city and Chitwan valley are located towards the central part of this highway.
The major destinations along and around the highway are
Mechinagar
Mechinagar ( ne, मेचीनगर) is a municipality in Jhapa District, Province No. 1, Nepal and is the main entry point from India on Nepal's eastern border. Nepal's custom office is in Kakarvitta ( ne, काँकडभिट्टा), ...
,
Bhadrapur,
Itahari
Itahari ( ne, ईटहरी) is a Municipalities in Province No. 1, sub-metropolitan city in the Sunsari District of Province No. 1 of Nepal. Itahari city is business hub of eastern Nepal. It is the List of cities of Nepal, second most populous ...
,
Janakpur
Janakpurdham or Janakpur ( ne, जनकपुर, ) is a sub-metropolitan city in Dhanusha District, Province No. 2, Madhesh Province, Nepal. The city is a hub for religious and cultural tourism. A headquarter of Dhanusha District, Dhanusha dist ...
,
Bharatpur,
Butwal
Butwal ( ne, बुटवल), officially Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City ( ne, बुटवल उपमहानगरपालिका), is a sub-metropolitan city and economic hub in Lumbini Province in West Nepal. Butwal has a city population ...
,
Siddharthanagar
Siddharthanagar ( ne, सिद्धार्थनगर), formerly and colloquially still called Bhairahawa ( ne, भैरहवा), is a municipality and the administrative headquarter of Rupandehi District in Lumbini Province of Nepal, ...
,
Nepalganj
Nepalgunj (), also spelled Nepalganj, is a Sub-Metropolitan City in Banke District, Nepal. It lies on the Terai plains near the southern border with Bahraich district in Uttar Pradesh, India. Nepalgunj is 153 kilometers south-west of Ghorahi ...
, and
Bhim Dutta.
Other towns on the Mahendra Highway are
Birtamod
Birtamod (Nepali: बिर्तामोड नगरपालिका) is a municipality in Jhapa District of Nepal. It is the commercial, educational and transport hub of Jhapa District. Sarnamati Bazar, Dhulabari Bazar, Dhaijan Bazar, Char ...
,
Damak
Damak ( Nepali: दमक), a city in eastern Nepal is one of the oldest municipalities in Jhapa District in Province No. 1 of Nepal. It is situated between the Ratuwa River in the east and the Maawa River in the west. It has Sivalik Hills in i ...
,
Inaruwa,
Lahan
Lahan (लहान) is a city and municipality with 24 wards' in Siraha District in the Madhesh Province south-eastern Nepal. It is connected with Mahendra Highway, which is also called the east–west highway. It is located nearly 261 km east ...
,
Narayangadh
Bharatpur (, ne, भरतपुर, ) is a city in southern central Nepal. It is the third most populous city of Nepal after Kathmandu and Pokhara with 369,377 inhabitants in 2021. It is also the second largest metropolitan city in Nepal by ...
,
Bardibas
Bardibas is a municipal area (municipality) and a town located in Mahottari District of Madhesh Province of Nepal. It is located at latitude: 26°54'6.84" to 27°08'46.90" and longitude: 85°47'42.67" to 85°56'42.97". The municipality is surround ...
, and
Chisapani
South of the highway are five official border crossing points between Nepal and India.
[ The highway spans over 500 bridges.]
Infrastructure in Nepal remains neglected despite the very few "highways" that exist. The busiest highways, including Prithivi Highway
The Prithvi Highway () is a highway connecting Naubise of Tribhuvan Highway, 26 km from Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, and Prithivi Chowk, Pokhara, a tourist city in the western part of Nepal.
History
The construction of the highway star ...
, all suffer from heavy traffic.
The highway runs through all the provinces
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outsi ...
of Nepal except Karnali Province
Karnali Province ( ne, कर्णाली प्रदेश) is one of the seven federal provinces of Nepal formed by the new constitution which was adopted on 20 September 2015. The total area of the province is covering 18.97% of the cou ...
.Mahendra Highway touches all the districts of Terai out of the 20 districts except Parsa. It also touches 2 mountainous districts Arghakhanchi
Arghakhanchi ( ne, अर्घाखाँची जिल्ला ) is one of the districts of Lumbini Province in Nepal. The district headquarter is Sandhikharka. The district covers an area of and has a population (2011) of 197,632. Its ne ...
and Makwanpur
Makwanpur District( ne, मकवानपुर जिल्ला; , a part of Bagmati Province, earlier a part of Narayani Zone, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Hetauda as its district headquarter, as well as ...
.
The Highway is currently a part of United Nation’s Asian Highway (AH) project.[Kamat, Rahu]
The Great Asian Highway
, Project Monitor website, 31 January 2005. Retrieved 2009-05-05
History
Earlier, the highway connecting the east-west region was only limited to postal highway during the Rana period. However, this highway was not a full paved or black topped road. It was only limited till Rapti river in the west and did not include the 4 western districts of Banke, Bardiya
Bardiya or Smerdis ( peo, 𐎲𐎼𐎮𐎡𐎹 ; grc, Σμέρδις ; possibly died 522 BC), also named as Tanyoxarces ( grc, Τανυοξάρκης ) by Ctesias, was a son of Cyrus the Great and the younger brother of Cambyses II, both ...
, Kailali and Kanchanpur which were famously known as Naya Muluk
Naya Muluk ( ne, नयाँ मुलुक) is a geographical region of Nepal, which is situated western-south part in Nepal. The Terai land between Kali River to Rapti River called "Naya Muluk" after 1860.
History
After Anglo-Nepalese W ...
. Nepalese were compelled to travel via Indian territory while visiting from one district to another district be it in Chitwan or Naya Muluk
Naya Muluk ( ne, नयाँ मुलुक) is a geographical region of Nepal, which is situated western-south part in Nepal. The Terai land between Kali River to Rapti River called "Naya Muluk" after 1860.
History
After Anglo-Nepalese W ...
due to dense forested region as well as north-south sans bridges. It was precisely to end this dependence on India that King Mahendra initiated the idea for an east-west highway, after whom the it is now named. Due to lack of enough budget it was constructed with economic and technical assistance from various countries. King Mahendra had initially requested India to build this highway. However, when India refused, they sought the help of the Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
. India was also attracted after the road from Dhalkebar to Pathalaiya was built by Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
. Similarly, the section from Mechi-Dhalkebar (Jhapa to Janakpur) was constructed by India, while the Hetauda-Narayanghat section was constructed by USA Aid through Asian Development Bank and the Narayanghat-Butwal section by the United Kingdom .Lastly, the Butwal-Kohalpur section was constructed by India.[Pulipaka, S., NR, A. S., Harshini, M., Deepalakshmi, V. R., & Korrapati, K. (2018). India’s development assistance and connectivity projects in Nepal.] In 1961, King Mahendra laid the foundation stone for the construction of the Highway at Gaidakot. The highway was later named Mahendra Highway in honor of King Mahendra. The highway has greatly contributed to the all round socio-economic development of the country. The highway project started in 1961 and the whole highway was finally finished in 2000 when the westernmost section of the highway was completed. Currently, the highway is being expanded to four lanes.
Route (east to west)
Mechinagar (Kakarbhitta) to Dhalkebar
This section of the highway was built with Economic assistance from government of India. The construction began in 1966 and was completed in 1971. Mechinagar
Mechinagar ( ne, मेचीनगर) is a municipality in Jhapa District, Province No. 1, Nepal and is the main entry point from India on Nepal's eastern border. Nepal's custom office is in Kakarvitta ( ne, काँकडभिट्टा), ...
, in south-eastern Nepal, is on the Nepal-India border. The wide Mechi River
The Mechi River is a trans-boundary river flowing through Nepal and India. It is a tributary of the Mahananda River.
Course
The Mechi originates in the Mahabharat Range in Nepal. It flows through Nepal, forms the boundary between India and Nepal ...
, a tributary of the Mahananda River
The Mahananda River (Pron:/ˌməhɑːˈnʌndə or ˌmɑːhəˈnʌndə/) is a trans-boundary river that flows through the Indian states of Bihar and West Bengal, and Bangladesh. It is an important tributary of the Ganges.
Course
The Mahananda ...
, forms the border. On the Indian side, the road continues through Panitanki
Panitanki is a town in Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India. It is located on the India-Nepal border; a border crossing to Kakarbhitta in Nepal is located here.
Panitanki is around 84 km from the district headquarters, Darjeeling. T ...
Bagdogra
Bagdogra is a settlement in the Naxalbari CD block in the Siliguri subdivision of the Darjeeling district, in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a part of the Greater Siliguri Metropolitan Area. The Bagdogra is well connected by air to six ...
and Siliguri
Siliguri, ) is a major tier-II city in West Bengal. It forms twin cities, "Twin Cities" with the neighboring district capital of Jalpaiguri. The city spans areas of the Darjeeling district, Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts in the Indian sta ...
.
From Mechinagar (Kakarvitta), the highway runs relatively smoothly for to Itahari
Itahari ( ne, ईटहरी) is a Municipalities in Province No. 1, sub-metropolitan city in the Sunsari District of Province No. 1 of Nepal. Itahari city is business hub of eastern Nepal. It is the List of cities of Nepal, second most populous ...
.
west of Mechinagar are the junctions for routes to Ilam at Charali and for Bhadrapur at Birtamod
Birtamod (Nepali: बिर्तामोड नगरपालिका) is a municipality in Jhapa District of Nepal. It is the commercial, educational and transport hub of Jhapa District. Sarnamati Bazar, Dhulabari Bazar, Dhaijan Bazar, Char ...
. The highway crosses innumerable streams on the way, including Khadam Nadi, east of Itahari, and Ratua Nadi, near Damak
Damak ( Nepali: दमक), a city in eastern Nepal is one of the oldest municipalities in Jhapa District in Province No. 1 of Nepal. It is situated between the Ratuwa River in the east and the Maawa River in the west. It has Sivalik Hills in i ...
. Itahari is the road junction, with Biratnagar
Biratnagar () is a metropolitan city in Nepal, which serves as the capital of Province No. 1. With a population of 242,548 as per the 2011 census, it is the largest city in the province and also the headquarters of Morang district. As per the p ...
, on the Nepal-India border, to the south and Dharan
Dharan ( ne, धरान) a sub-metropolitan city in Sunsari District of Province No. 1, Nepal, which was established as a fourth municipality in the Kingdom in 1958. It is the third most populous city in Eastern Nepal after Biratnagar and It ...
and Dhankuta
Dhankuta ( ne, धनकुटा ) is a hill town and the headquarter of Koshi Zone located in Dhankuta District of Eastern Nepal. According to 2011 Nepal census, it has population of 26,440 inhabitants.
History
Until about 1963 Dhankuta Ba ...
to the north.
The Koshi Barrage
The Koshi Barrage is a sluice across the Koshi river that carries vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic between Saptari district and Sunsari district of Nepal. It is near the International border with India. It was built between 1958 and 196 ...
is from Itahari. The Mahendra Highway passes over the Barrage between Bhardaha and Bhantabari. Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve
The Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve is a protected area in the Terai of eastern Nepal covering of wetlands in the Sunsari, Saptari and Udayapur Districts. It comprises extensive reed beds and freshwater marshes in the floodplain of the Kosi River, ...
is easily accessible from the Mahendra Highway. The reserve office is at Kusaha off the highway.
Dhalkebar to Hetauda
The Mahendra Highway continues its westward course through the Terai landscape. It crosses the Balan Nadi before Janakpur
Janakpurdham or Janakpur ( ne, जनकपुर, ) is a sub-metropolitan city in Dhanusha District, Province No. 2, Madhesh Province, Nepal. The city is a hub for religious and cultural tourism. A headquarter of Dhanusha District, Dhanusha dist ...
junction, and another later, the Kamla Nadi river.[
]Janakpur
Janakpurdham or Janakpur ( ne, जनकपुर, ) is a sub-metropolitan city in Dhanusha District, Province No. 2, Madhesh Province, Nepal. The city is a hub for religious and cultural tourism. A headquarter of Dhanusha District, Dhanusha dist ...
, a town with more than a hundred temples, is from Biratnagar and from Birgunj.[ Janakpur lies south of the Mahendra Highway junction Dhalkebar. Hindu mythology identifies Janakpur as the capital of the ancient kingdom of Mithila.][
At ]bardibas
Bardibas is a municipal area (municipality) and a town located in Mahottari District of Madhesh Province of Nepal. It is located at latitude: 26°54'6.84" to 27°08'46.90" and longitude: 85°47'42.67" to 85°56'42.97". The municipality is surround ...
, the Highway meets with BP highway
The BP Highway, also known as the Banepa Bardibas Highway, is a highway in eastern Nepal. It links Kathmandu Valley with the Eastern Terai region. It is named after the former leader of Nepal, BP Koirala. This highway is the shortest link betwe ...
which is currently the shortest route to connect Kathmandu with the terai
The Terai or Tarai is a lowland region in northern India and southern Nepal that lies south of the outer foothills of the Himalayas, the Sivalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. This lowland belt is characterised by tall grasslands, scr ...
region.
At Pathlaiya
Bara District ( ne, बारा जिल्ला ) is one of the seventy–seven districts of Nepal, located in the western part of the Madhesh Province. The district is third richest district in Nepal after Kathmandu and Morang with 3.3% sh ...
, Mahendra Highway reaches the Tribhuvan Highway near the Indian border at Raxaul
Raxaul is a sub-divisional town in the East Champaran district of the Indian state of Bihar. It is situated at the India-Nepal border with Birgunj city (Nepal). Raxaul is a major railway junction.
The Indian border town of Raxaul has become one ...
/Birganj
Birgunj ( ne, वीरगञ्ज) is a metropolitan city in Parsa District in Madhesh Province of southern Nepal. It lies south of the capital Kathmandu, attached in the north to Raxaul in the border of the Indian state of Bihar. As an entry ...
30 km to the south. Kathmandu
, pushpin_map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#Asia
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name =
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 = Bagmati Prov ...
is (by highway) north of this junction. The two highways join to cross the Siwalik Range
The Sivalik Hills, also known as the Shivalik Hills and Churia Hills, are a mountain range of the outer Himalayas that stretches over about from the Indus River eastwards close to the Brahmaputra River, spanning the northern parts of the Indian ...
to Hetauda
Hetauda ( ne, हेटौडा, ) is a sub-metropolitan city in the Makwanpur District of Bagmati Province in central Nepal. It is the administrative headquarters of the Makwanpur District and the capital of Bagmati Province as declared by m ...
in Chitwan Valley The Chitwan Valley ( ne, चितवन उपत्यका) is an Inner Terai valley in the south of Nepal, encompassing the districts of Makwanpur, Chitwan and Nawalpur. The valley is part of the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion of ...
. The 109 Km Dhalkebar- Pathlaiya section of the road in this highway was built by soviet Union while the Pathlaiya - Hetauda Section being part of the Tribhuvan highway was already built completed by India in 1956 however was only handed over to Nepal government in 1965.
Hetauda to Narayanghat
At Hetauda's Buddha Chowk the two highways, Mahendra and Tribhuvan, diverge and the Mahendra Highway heads west towards Narayanghat. This section of road was built with the aid from Asian Development Bank
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a regional development bank established on 19 December 1966, which is headquartered in the Ortigas Center located in the city of Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines. The bank also maintains 31 field office ...
. The highway crossed Tikauli forest to connect Bharatpur with Ratnanagar
Ratnanagar is a municipality in Chitwan District of Bagmati Province in Nepal. It is the second biggest municipality after Bharatpur Metropolitan City that was formed in 1997 through the merger of the former Village Development Committees Old- ...
. The section meets with Madan Ashrit highway
Madan Ashrit Highway also known as Muglin - Narayangadh Highway is Nepal's one of the busiest international roadway link, carrying 90% of all international traffic, or about 20,000 vehicles daily. The 36 km road connects Naryangadh and Mugli ...
connecting Mungling at Narayanghat chowk.The section ends at the Narayanghat river Bridge.
Narayanghat to Butwal
This section of the road was built with the economic aid from United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
. Butwal is on the west bank of the Tilottama River in the shadow of the Churia Hills
The Sivalik Hills, also known as the Shivalik Hills and Churia Hills, are a mountain range of the outer Himalayas that stretches over about from the Indus River eastwards close to the Brahmaputra River, spanning the northern parts of the Indi ...
. Butwal
Butwal ( ne, बुटवल), officially Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City ( ne, बुटवल उपमहानगरपालिका), is a sub-metropolitan city and economic hub in Lumbini Province in West Nepal. Butwal has a city population ...
is the junction of the Highway with the Siddhartha Highway
Siddhartha Highway ( ne, सिद्धार्थ राजमार्ग, also referred to as H10, now renamed NH 047) is a major highway in Nepal that connects the Terai region in southern Nepal with the mountain region in northern Nepal. T ...
, that connects to Siddharthanagar
Siddharthanagar ( ne, सिद्धार्थनगर), formerly and colloquially still called Bhairahawa ( ne, भैरहवा), is a municipality and the administrative headquarter of Rupandehi District in Lumbini Province of Nepal, ...
, Sunauli, Maharajganj, on the Nepal-India border to the south and Pokhara
Pokhara ( ne, पोखरा, ) is a metropolis, metropolitan city in Nepal, which serves as the capital of Gandaki Province. It is the List of cities in Nepal, second most populous city of Nepal after Kathmandu, with 518,452 inhabitants living ...
to the north. It Passes through Nawalparasi
Nawalparasi District ( ne, नवलपरासी जिल्ला, ), part of which belongs to Gandaki Province and part to Lumbini Province, was one of the seventy-five districts of Nepal before being divided into Nawalparasi (West of Ba ...
district where lies the midpoint of the highway. The section ends at Lakhan Thapa chowk in Butwal
Butwal ( ne, बुटवल), officially Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City ( ne, बुटवल उपमहानगरपालिका), is a sub-metropolitan city and economic hub in Lumbini Province in West Nepal. Butwal has a city population ...
.
Butwal to Kohalpur
Similar to Jhapa-Janakpur section, this section was also built with economic assistance of India. However this section was only agreed after the eastern section was completed. The construction began in 1972 and completed in 1976. The section starts from Mahendra Chowk towards West of Butwal. The highway turns north to cross the Dudhwa Hills (350m ascent) into Inner-Terai Deukhuri Valley, then crosses the West Rapti River
West Rapti, also known as the Kuwano drains Rapti Zone in Mid-Western Region, Nepal, then Awadh and Purvanchal regions of Uttar Pradesh state, India before joining the Ghaghara—a major left bank tributary of the Ganges known as the Karnali i ...
, which has no relation to the East Rapti River
The East Rapti River flows from east to west through the Chitwan Valley in Nepal, forming the northern border of the Chitwan National Park. It joins the Narayani River inside the protected area.Bhuju, U. R., Shakya, P. R., Basnet, T. B., Shrestha, ...
of Chitwan
Chitwan District (, , ) is one of 77 districts of Nepal, and takes up the southwestern corner of Bagmati Province. Bharatpur, largest city of Nepal after Kathmandu, is its administrative centre. It covers . In 2011 it had a population of 579 ...
. Just beyond the river (291 km from Hetauda), the highway reaches Bhalubang
Bhalubang (Nepali:भालुबाङ), sometimes Bhaluwang (Nepali:भालुवाङ) is a place located in Rapti Rural Municipality, Dang Deukhuri District, Nepal and the capital of Lumbini Province. Bhalubang literally refers bear ground. ...
, where a spur road continues north into Pyuthan
Pyuthan (also known as Pyuthan Khalanga) is a municipality in the Pyuthan District in the Lumbini Province of Nepal. It is also the District Headquarter and the administrative center of district. The municipality was established on 18 May 2014 by m ...
and Rolpa districts. The Mahendra Highway heads west again, following the Rapti downstream through Deukhuri
Deukhuri ( ne, देउखुरी) also known as Deukhuri Valley is a proposed permanent capital of Lumbini Province in Nepal which was decided on 20th of Aswin 2077 BS (October 6, 2020 AD). The temporary capital of Lumbini is in Butwal ( ...
. 27 km west of Bhalubang at Lamahi, a spur road goes north to Dang Valley The Inner Terai Valleys of Nepal comprise several elongated river valleys in the southern lowland Terai part of the country. These tropical valleys are enclosed by the Himalayan foothills, viz the Mahabharat Range and the Sivalik Hills farther south ...
, Dang Airport
Dang Airport , also known as Tarigaun Airport, is a domestic airport located in Tulsipur serving Dang District, a district in Lumbini Province in Nepal.
Facilities
The airport resides at an elevation of above mean sea level. It has one runway ...
, and Tulsipur town. 35 km beyond Lamahi, Rapti Highway
Rapti Highway ( ne, राप्ती राजमार्ग) is a highway in central Nepal that crosses the districts of Dang, Salyan and West Rukum in a south to north direction.
The 176 km highway branches off Mahendra Highway in Sa ...
departs north for Salyan and Rukum
Rukum District ( ne, रुकुम जिल्ला) was a "hill" and "mountain" district some west of Kathmandu partially belonging to Lumbini Province and partially to Karnali Province before split into two districts Western Rukum and E ...
districts.
Kohalpur to Mahakali
Kohalpur
Kohalpur ( ne, कोहलपुर) is a municipality in Banke District of Lumbini province of Nepal. The municipality was established on 18 May 2014 merging the existing two Village Development Committees i.e. Rajhena and Kohalpur. The town i ...
, 428 km west of Hetauda, is the junction for highway south to Nepalganj
Nepalgunj (), also spelled Nepalganj, is a Sub-Metropolitan City in Banke District, Nepal. It lies on the Terai plains near the southern border with Bahraich district in Uttar Pradesh, India. Nepalgunj is 153 kilometers south-west of Ghorahi ...
and the border with India and north to Birendranagar
Birendranagar ( ne, वीरेन्द्रनगर) officially Birendranagar Municipality is a city in Surkhet District in Karnali Province of Nepal.
It is the district headquarter of Surkhet District and also the capital city of Karnali ...
in Surkhet
Surkhet District ( ne, सुर्खेत जिल्ला, ) is a district in Karnali Province of mid-western Nepal. Surkhet is the one of the ten districts of Karnali located about west of the national capital Kathmandu. The district's are ...
. From Kohalpur the highway passes the Kusum-Ilaka forest, which is being eyed as a potential extension area of Bardia National Park
;
, iucn_category = II
, photo = Bardiya_02.jpg
, photo_caption =
, photo_alt=
, map_image =
, map_caption = Location in Nepal
, location = Nepal
, map = Nepal
, relief = 1
, coordinates =
, area_km2 = 968
, established = 1988
, gov ...
, which lies to the north-west of Nepalganj
Nepalgunj (), also spelled Nepalganj, is a Sub-Metropolitan City in Banke District, Nepal. It lies on the Terai plains near the southern border with Bahraich district in Uttar Pradesh, India. Nepalgunj is 153 kilometers south-west of Ghorahi ...
, on the Nepal-India border. Crossing the Karnali River Karnali may refer to:
Places in Nepal
*Karnali Bridge, a bridge over the Karnali River in Nepal
*Karnali Highway, a vital transport link in Nepal
*Karnali Province, a federal province in Nepal
*Karnali River, a river in Nepal and India originatin ...
at Chisapani, the highway continues west to the Indian border at Bhim Datta on the Mahakali River
The Sharda River, also called Kali River and Mahakali River, originates at Kalapani in the Himalayas at an elevation of in the Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand, India. It flows along Nepal's western border with India and has a basin area ...
, crossing on a barrage. The section between Chisapani and Bhim Datta is in poor repair. There is a extension to Banbasa
Banbasa ( Kumaoni: बनबसा) is a census town in Champawat district in the state of Uttarakhand, India most famous for its border crossing into Nepal from India. The major occupation is Retail Stores.
Demographics
India census, Banbasa ...
, the first town in Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand ( , or ; , ), also known as Uttaranchal ( ; the official name until 2007), is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the "Devbhumi" (literally 'Land of the Gods') due to its religious significance and ...
, India. Moreover, Mahendranagar-Tanakpur Link Road connects at Mahendranagar connects the town of Mahendranagar to the Tanakpur Barrage from the Highway. There are a total of 22 bridges in this section for which construction started in 1996 and ended in 2000.
Major junctions
The major junctions of Mahendra Highway are:[
* Charali – Junction with ]Mechi Highway
Mechi Highway ( Nepali: मेची राजमार्ग) is a two-lane freeway in Eastern Nepal, spanning about 268 kilometers in length. The highway connects all the districts of Mechi zone, hence the name ''Mechi''. It runs from the VDC of ...
with Chandragadhi
Bhadrapur ( ne, भद्रपुर) is a town and municipality in Jhapa District in the Province No. 1 of southeastern Nepal. It lies on the banks of the Mechi River, and shares borders with Bihar state, India on the south and West Bengal ...
-Bhadrapur to south and Ilam-Panchthar
Panchthar district ( ne, पाँचथर जिल्ला) is one of 14 districts of Province No. 1 of eastern hilly region of Nepal. It is a Hill district of eastern Nepal. The district covers of area. The 2011 census counted 191,817 popu ...
-Taplejung
Taplejung District ( ne, ताप्लेजुङ जिल्ला ) is one of 77 districts of Nepal and one of the 14 districts of Province No. 1. It is remotely located in the Himalayas in Eastern Nepal with Tibet to the north across the ...
to the north.
*Itahari
Itahari ( ne, ईटहरी) is a Municipalities in Province No. 1, sub-metropolitan city in the Sunsari District of Province No. 1 of Nepal. Itahari city is business hub of eastern Nepal. It is the List of cities of Nepal, second most populous ...
– Junction with the Koshi Highway
Koshi Highway ( ne, कोशी राजमार्ग) or H08 is a 390 km long planned highway located in Province No. 1 of Nepal. It is north-south highway which is understood to be shortest highway which connects India to China across ...
with Jogbani
Jogbani is a town, a notified area in Araria District of Bihar state, India. It lies on the Indo-Nepal border with Morang District, Koshi Zone and is a gateway to Biratnagar city. There is a customs checkpoint for goods at the border. Indian ...
- Biratnagar
Biratnagar () is a metropolitan city in Nepal, which serves as the capital of Province No. 1. With a population of 242,548 as per the 2011 census, it is the largest city in the province and also the headquarters of Morang district. As per the p ...
to the south and Dharan
Dharan ( ne, धरान) a sub-metropolitan city in Sunsari District of Province No. 1, Nepal, which was established as a fourth municipality in the Kingdom in 1958. It is the third most populous city in Eastern Nepal after Biratnagar and It ...
and Dhankuta
Dhankuta ( ne, धनकुटा ) is a hill town and the headquarter of Koshi Zone located in Dhankuta District of Eastern Nepal. According to 2011 Nepal census, it has population of 26,440 inhabitants.
History
Until about 1963 Dhankuta Ba ...
to the north.
*Bardibas
Bardibas is a municipal area (municipality) and a town located in Mahottari District of Madhesh Province of Nepal. It is located at latitude: 26°54'6.84" to 27°08'46.90" and longitude: 85°47'42.67" to 85°56'42.97". The municipality is surround ...
- The starting point of BP Highway
The BP Highway, also known as the Banepa Bardibas Highway, is a highway in eastern Nepal. It links Kathmandu Valley with the Eastern Terai region. It is named after the former leader of Nepal, BP Koirala. This highway is the shortest link betwe ...
, an alternative roadway to Kathmandu.
*Hetauda
Hetauda ( ne, हेटौडा, ) is a sub-metropolitan city in the Makwanpur District of Bagmati Province in central Nepal. It is the administrative headquarters of the Makwanpur District and the capital of Bagmati Province as declared by m ...
– Major junction with Tribhuvan Highway
The Tribhuvan Highway () connects the outskirts of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, with Birganj/Raxaul on the Nepal-India border. NH 28 and NH 28A links Raxaul with Lucknow/Barauni and other locations in India.
History
Known informally as By ...
with Birganj in the south and Kathmandu
, pushpin_map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#Asia
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name =
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 = Bagmati Prov ...
and Prithvi Highway
The Prithvi Highway () is a highway connecting Naubise of Tribhuvan Highway, 26 km from Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, and Prithivi Chowk, Pokhara, a tourist city in the western part of Nepal.
History
The construction of the highway star ...
to the north.
* Bharatpur – Link to Mugling on the Prithvi Highway
The Prithvi Highway () is a highway connecting Naubise of Tribhuvan Highway, 26 km from Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, and Prithivi Chowk, Pokhara, a tourist city in the western part of Nepal.
History
The construction of the highway star ...
*Butwal
Butwal ( ne, बुटवल), officially Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City ( ne, बुटवल उपमहानगरपालिका), is a sub-metropolitan city and economic hub in Lumbini Province in West Nepal. Butwal has a city population ...
– Junction of Siddhartha Highway
Siddhartha Highway ( ne, सिद्धार्थ राजमार्ग, also referred to as H10, now renamed NH 047) is a major highway in Nepal that connects the Terai region in southern Nepal with the mountain region in northern Nepal. T ...
with Sunauli and Lumbini
Lumbinī ( ne, लुम्बिनी, IPA=ˈlumbini , "the lovely") is a Buddhist pilgrimage site in the Rupandehi District of Lumbini Province in Nepal. It is the place where, according to Buddhist tradition, Queen Mahamayadevi gave birth ...
to the south and Tansen
Tansen ( – 26 April 1589), also referred to and commonly known as Sangeet Samrat () , was a Hindustani classical musician. Born in a Hindu Gaur Brahmin family, he learnt and perfected his art in the northwest region of modern Madhya Pra ...
and Pokhara
Pokhara ( ne, पोखरा, ) is a metropolis, metropolitan city in Nepal, which serves as the capital of Gandaki Province. It is the List of cities in Nepal, second most populous city of Nepal after Kathmandu, with 518,452 inhabitants living ...
to the north.
* Lamahi - The starting point of Lamahi-Ghorai-Tulsipur road.
*Various minor district road junctions at all districts it passes through.
References
{{AHN
Roads in Nepal
History of Nepal (1951–2008)