Key Takeaways:
- Manakamana Cable Car service has been suspended after road subsidence near the entrance area
- The damage was caused by continuous rainfall and strong currents in the Trishuli River
- River erosion and repeated impacts on a suspension bridge linking Chitwan and Gorkha contributed to the subsidence
- Authorities warn that continued river pressure has increased risks in the surrounding area
Manakamana Cable Car services have been suspended after a road inside the entrance area of the cable car complex subsided following continuous rainfall and river erosion.
The affected road connects the cable car entrance gate to the inner operational area in Ichchhakamana Rural Municipality-4, Chitwan.
According to local authorities, strong currents in the Trishuli River repeatedly struck the suspension bridge linking the area with Silingtar in Shahid Lakhan Rural Municipality-3, Gorkha, contributing to the damage.
Ichchhakamana-4 Ward Chairperson Rudra Upreti said the river changed its course after heavy rainfall, causing cracks on the nearby highway and subsidence of the internal access road as the swollen river continued battering the bridge structure.
The road damage forced operators to halt cable car services as a safety precaution.
Upreti said the continued pressure of the river on the suspension bridge has increased risks not only to transportation infrastructure but also to surrounding settlements and facilities.
Authorities are monitoring the situation as rainfall continues across several districts, with concerns that further erosion and water flow could worsen conditions in the area.
The suspension comes amid widespread weather-related disruptions across Nepal, where heavy rainfall has triggered floods, landslides, road closures and infrastructure damage in multiple provinces.