Last Updated on October 27, 2026 by alizni
A major triple-vehicle collision occurred on the Prithvi Highway early Friday morning, leaving at least eleven individuals injured. The high-impact accident took place in Dharapani, located within Ichchhakamana Rural Municipality-4, Chitwan district. Involving a passenger bus, a commercial cargo truck, and a microbus, the crash underscores ongoing concerns regarding highway safety and traffic management along one of Nepal’s most critical transport arteries.
According to preliminary field reports, the incident transpired at approximately 8:45 AM, a peak travel hour when traffic volume along the central corridor connecting Kathmandu with southern and western regions is particularly heavy. Local authorities and emergency personnel rushed to the scene shortly after the notification to carry out rescue operations and clear the obstructed highway.
Details of the Three-Vehicle Collision in Kurintar
The multi-vehicle accident involved transport vehicles operating across three distinct long-distance routes. The passenger bus bearing registration number Bagmati Province 03-001 Kha 2777 was traveling from Sarlahi toward the capital, Kathmandu. Simultaneously, a commercial truck registered as Province 1-02-002 Kha 0616 was en route from Kathmandu toward Mugling. Adding to the dangerous dynamic, a microbus carrying registration number Bagmati Province 03-001 Ja 1259, heading from Butwal to Kathmandu, became entangled in the high-speed pileup.
Witnesses at the scene described a violent impact as the vehicles collided near a turn on the highway stretch in Dharapani. While the exact chain of events leading up to the initial crash remains under active investigation by law enforcement, high speeds, narrow lane margins, and morning driver reaction times are suspected to have contributed to the severe collision.
Emergency Response and Victim Condition
Immediately following the disaster, personnel from the local police post and nearby security deployments arrived at the Dharapani site to commence emergency rescue efforts. Nearby residents and fellow commuters joined hands with security forces to extract trapped passengers from the battered remains of the microbus and the passenger bus.
A total of eleven passengers sustained varying degrees of physical trauma. The victims were promptly loaded into emergency vehicles and transported to nearby medical facilities and teaching hospitals in Chitwan for urgent treatment. Medical officials confirmed that while several victims suffered minor cuts, bruises, and soft tissue injuries, others required immediate surgical evaluation and close monitoring due to fractures and blunt force trauma. Authorities are currently compiling a full roster of the victims to inform their respective families.
Impact on Prithvi Highway Traffic Flow
The Prithvi Highway serves as a fundamental lifeline for central Nepal, handling thousands of commuter vehicles, heavy freight trucks, and long-distance passenger buses every day. Because the crash involved three substantial commercial vehicles, both lanes of the highway were temporarily blocked, leading to a long backup of traffic stretch across the Kurintar section.
Traffic police worked feverishly to divert vehicles, establish single-lane passage where safe, and deploy heavy tow cranes to move the damaged vehicles off the primary roadway. The disruption highlights the vulnerability of Nepal’s highway infrastructure, where a single localized accident can stall freight and passenger movement across multiple districts for hours.
Rising Safety Concerns on Nepal’s Major Highways
The fresh Kurintar road accident once again shines a spotlight on the systemic road safety challenges facing travelers in Nepal. Highways like the Prithvi Highway experience intense traffic density combined with challenging topography, sharp bends, and ongoing road expansion efforts. When drivers undertake risky overtaking maneuvers on narrow lanes, the margin for error becomes virtually non-existent.
Transportation experts continuously urge stricter enforcement of speed limits, mandatory routine maintenance checks for public transport vehicles, and enhanced driver training programs focused on defensive driving techniques along highway corridors. Furthermore, expanding emergency response centers along major highway nodes like Kurintar and Mugling is critical for minimizing casualty severity during the crucial golden hour after an accident.
Conclusion
The triple-vehicle crash in Dharapani, Kurintar, serves as a stark reminder of the persistent hazards present on Nepal’s key highway routes. As the eleven injured passengers receive ongoing care in Chitwan hospitals, traffic authorities continue their investigation to pinpoint the precise sequence of events. Commuters traveling along the Prithvi Highway are strongly advised to practice extreme caution, maintain safe vehicle distances, and refrain from unsafe overtaking to prevent similar incidents in the future.