Mahendra Highway
Encyclopedia
Mahendra Highway also called East West Highway runs across the Terai region of Nepal
, from Kankarbhitta in the east to Mahendranagar in the west, cutting across the entire width of the country. It is the longest highway in Nepal.
and Mahendranagar. It covers the Terai from east to west for 1000 kilometres (621.4 mi).
The major destinations along and around the highway are Kakarbhitta
, Bhadrapur
, Dharan
, Janakpur
, Narayanghat, Butwal
, Siddharthanagar
, Nepalgunj
, and Mahendranagar. Other towns on Mahendra Highway are - Birtamod
, Damak
, Inaruwa, Lahan
, Bardibas
, and Chisapani
There are five official border crossing points between India and Nepal. All are in the Terai region, either on or near Mahendra Highway, the main east-west road through Nepal.
, a tributary of the Mahananda River
, forms the border. On the Indian side the road continues through Bagdogra
and Siliguri
.
From Kankarbhitta the highway runs relatively smoothly for 108 kilometres (67.1 mi) to Itahari
. 20
km west of Kankarbhitta, are the junctions for routes to Ilam
at Charali and for Bhadrapur
at Birtamod
. It crosses innumerable streams on the way – Khadam Nadi, 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) east of Itahari, Ratua Nadi
near Damak
. Itahari is the road junction, with Biratnagar, on the Nepal-India border, to the south and Dharan
and Dhankuta
to the north.
The Koshi Barrage
is 47 kilometres (29.2 mi) from Itahari. The Mahendra Highway passes over the Kosi Barrage between Bhadaha and Bhantabari.Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve
is easily accessible from the Mahendra Highway. The reserve office is at Kusaha 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) off the highway.
The Mahendra Highway continues its westward course through the Terai landscape. It crosses the Balan Nadi 43 kilometres (26.7 mi) before Janakpur junction and another 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) later the Kamla Nadi
..
Janakpur
, a town with more than a hundred temples is 169 kilometres (105 mi) from Biratnagar and.106 kilometres (65.9 mi) from Birganj. Janakpur lies 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) south of the Mahendra Highway. Hindu mythology identifies Janakpur as the capital of the ancient kingdom of Mithila.
At Pathlaiya, Mahendra Highway reaches Tribhuvan Highway
between the Indian border
at Raxaul
/Birganj
30 km to the south. Kathmandu is 253 kilometres (157.2 mi) (by highway) north of this junction. The two highways join to cross the Siwalik Range to Hetauda
in Chitwan Valley
. At Hetauda’s Mahendra Chowk the two highways diverge and Mahendra Highway heads west.
, after it joins the Narayani River at Devighat,. The Mahendra Highway runs north of Chitwan National Park . Bharatpur
is a continuation of Narayanghat.
Butwal is the junction of the Mahendra Highway with the Siddhartha Highway, with Lumbini
, birth-place of Gautama Buddha
, Sunauli, on the Nepal-India border, and Siddharthanagar
to the south and Tansen and Pokhara
to the north. Butwal is on the west bank of Tilottama River in the shadow of the Churia Hills.
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
, which is no relation to the East Rapti River
of Chitwan. Just beyond the river (291 km from Hetauda) the highway reaches Bhalubang where a spur road continues north into Pyuthan
and Rolpa
districts. Mahendra Highway heads west again, following the Rapti downstream through Deukhuri. 27 km west of Bhalubang at Lamahi a spur road goes north to Dang Valley, Dang Airport
, Tulsipur town
. 35 km beyond Lamahi, Rapti Highway departs north for Salyan
and Rukum
districts. Kohalpur
428 km west of Hetauda is the junction for a highway south 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) to Nepalganj and the border with India and north to Birendranagar
in Surkhet. Then the highway passes the Kusum-Ilaka forest, which is being eyed as a potential extension area of Bardia National Park, which lies to the north-west of Nepalganj, on the Nepal-India border. Nepalganj is from Kohalpur.
Mahendra Highway terminates at Mahendranagar but the road link continues across the Mahakali River with a barrage, which forms the Nepal-India border. Banbasa
, the first town in Uttarakhand
, India is 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) away. Buses connect Banbasa to Bareilly
(the nearest BG rail station 2 hr 30 mins), Almora
(6 hr), Nainital (7 hr), Haridwar
(9 hr) and Delhi
(10 hr) ..
Itahari – with Biratnagar to the south and Dharan and Dhankuta to the north.
Hetauda – junction with the Tribhuvan Highway with Birganj in the south and Kathmandu and Prithvi Highway to the north.
Narayanghat – link to Mugling on the Prithvi Highway
Butwal – junction of Siddhatha Highway (with Sunauli and Lumbini to the south and Tansen and Pokhra to the north
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, from Kankarbhitta in the east to Mahendranagar in the west, cutting across the entire width of the country. It is the longest highway in Nepal.
Overview
Mostly single lane in each direction it scarcely qualifies as a highway as per western understanding. Most of Mahendra Highway is in a reasonable condition, except the stretch between ChisapaniChisapani, Bheri
Chisapani is a village in Banke District in the Bheri Zone of south-western Nepal, not to be confused with Chisapani in the banks of Karnali river.At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2,862 and had 526 houses in the village....
and Mahendranagar. It covers the Terai from east to west for 1000 kilometres (621.4 mi).
The major destinations along and around the highway are Kakarbhitta
Mechinagar
Mechinagar is a municipality in Jhapa District, Mechi Zone, Nepal and is the main entry point from India on Nepal's eastern border. Nepal's custom office is in Kankarbhitta , a section of the municipality....
, Bhadrapur
Bhadrapur, Mechi
Bhadrapur is a town and municipality in Jhapa District in the Mechi Zone of south-eastern Nepal. It is known As a one of oldest municipalities of Nepal. At the time of the 2001 Nepal census it had a population of 18,145 people....
, Dharan
Dharan, Nepal
Dharan is a major city in eastern Nepal, in the Sunsari District, situated on foothills of Mahabharat Range with southern tip touching the edge of the Terai at an altitude of 1148 ft . It serves as a trading post between the hilly region and the plains of Terai region. It was once the...
, Janakpur
Janakpurdham
Janakpur, also known as Janakpurdham, is one of the historical and religious city of Nepal. Janakpur is the administrative headquarters of Dhanusa District of the Janakpur Zone and has a population of approximately 80,000...
, Narayanghat, Butwal
Butwal
Butwal is a large town in southern Nepal in Rupandehi District, in Lumbini Zone -- of which Butwal is the administrative center. It is located 240 kilometres west of Kathmandu and 22 kilometers north of Bhairahawa, at the northern edge of the Terai plain below the Siwalik Hills...
, Siddharthanagar
Siddharthanagar
This article is on the Nepali town. For the district in Uttar Pradesh, see Siddharthnagar District.Siddharthanagar is a municipality near the Indian border on the Outer Terai plains of Nepal, west of Kathmandu Nepal's capital...
, Nepalgunj
Nepalgunj
Nepalgunj , also spelled Nepalganj, is a municipality in Banke District, Nepal on the Terai plains near the southern border with Bahraich district, Uttar Pradesh state of India. It is 16 km south of Kohalpur and the east-west Mahendra Highway....
, and Mahendranagar. Other towns on Mahendra Highway are - Birtamod
Birtamod
Birtamod is the commercial, educational and transport hub of Jhapa District. Ssrnamati Bazar, Kamatoli Bazar, Chakchaki Bazar and Surunga Bazar are some of the nearest local towns /settlements connected to Birtamod...
, Damak
Damak
Damak is a town and municipality in Jhapa District in the Mechi Zone of south-eastern Nepal. It is situated between the Ratuwa River in the east and the Mawa River in the west. As of 2001 census total population of city is 35,009...
, Inaruwa, Lahan
Lahan
Lahan is a town and municipality in Siraha District in the Sagarmatha Zone of south-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 19,018 people living in 3622 individual households. Famous Sarda Group of nepal hail originally from this town and people respect the...
, Bardibas
Bardibas
Bardibas is a village development committee in Mahottari District in the Janakpur Zone of south-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 6049 people living in 1090 individual households.-Transport:...
, and Chisapani
Chisapani, Bheri
Chisapani is a village in Banke District in the Bheri Zone of south-western Nepal, not to be confused with Chisapani in the banks of Karnali river.At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2,862 and had 526 houses in the village....
There are five official border crossing points between India and Nepal. All are in the Terai region, either on or near Mahendra Highway, the main east-west road through Nepal.
Kankarbhitta to Hetauda
Kankarbhitta, in south-eastern Nepal, is on the Nepal-India border. The wide Mechi RiverMechi 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...
, a tributary of the Mahananda River
Mahananda River
The Mahananda River is a trans-boundary river that flows through the Indian states of West Bengal and Bihar, and Bangladesh. Right bank tributary Mechi forms part of Nepal's eastern boundary with West Bengal and the Kankai crosses out of Nepal.-Course:...
, forms the border. On the Indian side the road continues through Bagdogra
Bagdogra
Bagdogra is a small town in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India, which is surrounded by tea gardens. Bagdogra is well connected by rail and air to the rest of the country. Bagdogra Airport is the only airport in North Bengal, which is now an International Airport. -References:...
and Siliguri
Siliguri
Siliguri is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located in the Siliguri Corridor or Chicken's Neck - a very narrow strip of land linking mainland India to its north-eastern states. It is also the transit point for air, road and rail traffic to the neighbouring countries of Nepal,...
.
From Kankarbhitta the highway runs relatively smoothly for 108 kilometres (67.1 mi) to Itahari
Itahari
Itahari is a town and municipality in Sunsari District in the Koshi Zone of south-eastern Nepal. It is located at the main transportation junction of eastern Nepal. It is the center of the west-east Mahendra Highway and south-north Koshi Highway and thus is a town of emerging importance...
. 20
km west of Kankarbhitta, are the junctions for routes to Ilam
Ilam, Nepal
Ilam is a municipality and tea-producing town in Nepal. It is in Ilam District which is in hilly Eastern Region of Nepal. It is famous for natural scenery and landscapes, tea production, and diverse agricultural economy.-Tea Production:...
at Charali and for Bhadrapur
Bhadrapur, Mechi
Bhadrapur is a town and municipality in Jhapa District in the Mechi Zone of south-eastern Nepal. It is known As a one of oldest municipalities of Nepal. At the time of the 2001 Nepal census it had a population of 18,145 people....
at Birtamod
Birtamod
Birtamod is the commercial, educational and transport hub of Jhapa District. Ssrnamati Bazar, Kamatoli Bazar, Chakchaki Bazar and Surunga Bazar are some of the nearest local towns /settlements connected to Birtamod...
. It crosses innumerable streams on the way – Khadam Nadi, 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) east of Itahari, Ratua Nadi
Ratua Khola
The Ratua Khola or Ratuwa Khola is a river in eastern part of Nepal. It originates from Chure Pahad of Nepal and merges with the Kankai River in Bihar, India. This river serves as the eastern border of Damak, a city in the eastern part of Nepal....
near Damak
Damak
Damak is a town and municipality in Jhapa District in the Mechi Zone of south-eastern Nepal. It is situated between the Ratuwa River in the east and the Mawa River in the west. As of 2001 census total population of city is 35,009...
. Itahari is the road junction, with Biratnagar, on the Nepal-India border, to the south and Dharan
Dharan, Nepal
Dharan is a major city in eastern Nepal, in the Sunsari District, situated on foothills of Mahabharat Range with southern tip touching the edge of the Terai at an altitude of 1148 ft . It serves as a trading post between the hilly region and the plains of Terai region. It was once the...
and Dhankuta
Dhankuta
Dhankuta is a hill town of Nepal located along the geographical coordinates- 26° 59' 0" N / 87° 20' 0" E, with about 20,000 inhabitants, located in the Dhankuta District in the eastern part of Nepal. Until about 1963 Dhankuta Bazaar was the administrative headquarters for the whole of...
to the north.
The Koshi Barrage
Koshi Barrage
The Koshi Barrage is a flood control sluice across the Koshi River at the Nepal–Indian border. It was built between 1958 and 1962.The Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve is several miles north of the Barrage.- 2008 flood :...
is 47 kilometres (29.2 mi) from Itahari. The Mahendra Highway passes over the Kosi Barrage between Bhadaha and Bhantabari.Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve
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. In altitude it ranges from and consists of extensive mudflats, reed beds, and freshwater marshes in the floodplain of the Sapta Kosi River...
is easily accessible from the Mahendra Highway. The reserve office is at Kusaha 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) off the highway.
The Mahendra Highway continues its westward course through the Terai landscape. It crosses the Balan Nadi 43 kilometres (26.7 mi) before Janakpur junction and another 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) later the Kamla Nadi
Kamala River
The Kamala River flows through Nepal and the Indian state of Bihar.-Course:The Kamala originates from Mahabharat Range near Sindhuliagarhi in Sindhuli District of Nepal at an elevation of .It flows in a southerly direction and after passing through a gorge above Chauphat it flows into the terai...
..
Janakpur
Janakpurdham
Janakpur, also known as Janakpurdham, is one of the historical and religious city of Nepal. Janakpur is the administrative headquarters of Dhanusa District of the Janakpur Zone and has a population of approximately 80,000...
, a town with more than a hundred temples is 169 kilometres (105 mi) from Biratnagar and.106 kilometres (65.9 mi) from Birganj. Janakpur lies 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) south of the Mahendra Highway. Hindu mythology identifies Janakpur as the capital of the ancient kingdom of Mithila.
At Pathlaiya, Mahendra Highway reaches Tribhuvan Highway
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:...
between the Indian border
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
at Raxaul
Raxaul
Raxaul or Raxaul is a sub-divisional town in the East Champaran district of the Indian state of Bihar. It is situated on the India-Nepal border with Birganj on the other side of the border.-Demographics:...
/Birganj
Birganj
Birganj is a sub-metropolitan municipality and border town in Parsa District in the Narayani Zone of southern Nepal. It lies 283 km south of the capital Kathmandu, 3 km north of the border of the Indian state of Bihar. As an entry point to Nepal from Patna and Calcutta it is also known...
30 km to the south. Kathmandu is 253 kilometres (157.2 mi) (by highway) north of this junction. The two highways join to cross the Siwalik Range to Hetauda
Hetauda
Hetauda is a town in the Makwanpur District of the Narayani Zone in southern Nepal. It is also the administrative headquarters of the Makwanpur district. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 53,836 people living in 10,420 individual households...
in Chitwan Valley
Chitwan Valley
Chitwan Valley is an Inner Terai valley in the south of Nepal, encompassing the districts of Makwanpur, Chitwan and Nawalparasi. The valley is part of the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion of about 150 km length and 30–48 km width....
. At Hetauda’s Mahendra Chowk the two highways diverge and Mahendra Highway heads west.
Hetauda to Mahendranagar
At Narayanghat is the much used direct link to Mugling on the Prithvi Highway. It is also the end point of many rafting trips on the Trishuli RiverTrishuli River
The Trishuli River is a trans-boundary river and is one of the major tributaries of the Narayani River basin in central Nepal. It originates in Tibet Autonomous Region of China where it is called Kyirong Tsangpo...
, after it joins the Narayani River at Devighat,. The Mahendra Highway runs north of Chitwan National Park . Bharatpur
Bharatpur, Nepal
Bharatpur is a city in the central-southern part of Nepal. Located in Chitwan Valley, Bharatpur is the district headquarters of the Chitwan District, as well as a separate Municipal authority, and is the seventh largest city of Nepal with the population of 89,323 . The estimated population for...
is a continuation of Narayanghat.
Butwal is the junction of the Mahendra Highway with the Siddhartha Highway, with Lumbini
Lumbini
Lumbinī is a Buddhist pilgrimage site in the Rupandehi district of Nepal. It is the place where Queen Mayadevi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama, who as the Buddha Gautama founded the Buddhist tradition. The Buddha lived between roughly 563 and 483 BCE...
, birth-place of Gautama Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
, Sunauli, on the Nepal-India border, and Siddharthanagar
Siddharthanagar
This article is on the Nepali town. For the district in Uttar Pradesh, see Siddharthnagar District.Siddharthanagar is a municipality near the Indian border on the Outer Terai plains of Nepal, west of Kathmandu Nepal's capital...
to the south and Tansen and Pokhara
Pokhara
Pokhara Sub-Metropolitan City is the second largest city of Nepal. Pokhara is city of close to 350,000 inhabitants in central Nepal located at 28.25°N, 83.99°E, which is the centre of the country from east to west or from north to south, 198 km west of Kathmandu or 90 km west of Mugling, and...
to the north. Butwal is on the west bank of Tilottama River in the shadow of the Churia Hills.
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 River
Not to be confused with the East Rapti in Chitwan Valley some to the east, this Rapti 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.The West Rapti is notable for...
, which is no relation to the East Rapti River
East Rapti River
East Rapti River, a small river draining the Chitwan valley in Nepal, flowing west to join the Narayani River a short distance north of the Indian border....
of Chitwan. Just beyond the river (291 km from Hetauda) the highway reaches Bhalubang where a spur road continues north into Pyuthan
Pyuthan District
Pyuthan District of 212,484. Pyuthan Khalanga is the district's administrative center.-Geography:Pyuthan borders Dang Deukhuri District to the southwest along the crest of the Mahabharat Range and extends about 50 km northeast through the Middle Hills to a 3,000+ meter ridge that is both...
and Rolpa
Rolpa District
Rolpa of 210,004. Livang is the district's administrative center.By Nepalese standards, Rolpa is an underdeveloped area plagued by low life expectancy and poverty . It was a major flashpoint in the 1996-2006 Civil War.Adjoining districts are Dang to the south, Pyuthan to the east, Salyan to the...
districts. Mahendra Highway heads west again, following the Rapti downstream through Deukhuri. 27 km west of Bhalubang at Lamahi a spur road goes north to Dang Valley, Dang Airport
Tribhuvannagar Airport
Dang Airport , also known as Tulsipur Airport or Tribhuvannagar Airport, is an airport serving the Dang Deukhuri District in the Rapti Zone of the Mid-Western Region in Nepal...
, Tulsipur town
Tulsipur, Rapti
Tulsipur is a town and V.D.C. in Dang Deokhuri District in the Rapti Zone of south-western Nepal. It is also the district's main bazaar. The 1991 Nepal census counted 13,815 persons in 2,540 households. Dang Airport is about two km south of the town center...
. 35 km beyond Lamahi, Rapti Highway departs north for Salyan
Salyan District
Salyan District of 213,500. The district's administrative center is named Salyan or Salyan Khalanga.The district is known for its Hindu temples including Shiva temples in Chhayachhetra and Laxmipur, and the Devi temple at Khairabang in Hiwalcha VDC, one of nine in Nepal...
and Rukum
Rukum District
Rukum District of 188,438. Musikot is the district's administrative center.Rukum district has many potential tourist attractions that remain unexplored. There is 5,849 meter Mt. Sisne , also called virgin mountain. Nobody claims to have conquered this mountain yet. Rukum is also called "the...
districts. Kohalpur
Kohalpur
Kohalpur is a town in Banke District in the Bheri Zone in mid-western Nepal. The town is in East-West highway and one of the fastest developing places in Nepal. A neighboring city Nepalgunj is on South , and further 6 km is the Indian border. In fact it is a growing city in the western...
428 km west of Hetauda is the junction for a highway south 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) to Nepalganj and the border with India and north to Birendranagar
Birendranagar
Birendranagar is a city in mid western Nepal, located in the Surkhet District of Bheri Zone. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 22,937 people residing in 4773 individual households....
in Surkhet. Then the highway passes the Kusum-Ilaka forest, which is being eyed as a potential extension area of Bardia National Park, which lies to the north-west of Nepalganj, on the Nepal-India border. Nepalganj is from Kohalpur.
Mahendra Highway terminates at Mahendranagar but the road link continues across the Mahakali River with a barrage, which forms the Nepal-India border. Banbasa
Banbasa
Banbasa is a census town in Champawat district in the state of Uttarakhand, India.-Demographics: India census, Banbasa had a population of almost 8,000 . Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%...
, the first town in Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand , formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship...
, India is 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) away. Buses connect Banbasa to Bareilly
Bareilly
Bareilly is a prominent city in Bareilly district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Standing on the Ramganga river, it is the capital of the Bareilly division and the geographical region Rohilkhand...
(the nearest BG rail station 2 hr 30 mins), Almora
Almora
Almora is a municipal board, a cantonment town in the Almora district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Almora was founded in 1568.It is a town bustling with activity and a rich cultural heritage and history. It is considered the cultural heart of the Kumaon region of...
(6 hr), Nainital (7 hr), Haridwar
Haridwar
Haridwar is an important pilgrimage city and municipality in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India...
(9 hr) and Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
(10 hr) ..
Major Junctions
Major junctions of Mahendra Highway are -Itahari – with Biratnagar to the south and Dharan and Dhankuta to the north.
Hetauda – junction with the Tribhuvan Highway with Birganj in the south and Kathmandu and Prithvi Highway to the north.
Narayanghat – link to Mugling on the Prithvi Highway
Butwal – junction of Siddhatha Highway (with Sunauli and Lumbini to the south and Tansen and Pokhra to the north