Vehicular movement along Surkhet-Kalikot road section resumes after six days

BIRENDRANAGAR, Oct 13: The Dailekh section road from Surkhet to Kalikot under the Karnali highway has been restored and opened for vehicular movement after six days.

With the opening of the highway, vehicular movement resumed from Surkhet to Kalikot from Thursday. On Wednesday night, the Nepali Army opened the road to Kalikot by using explosives in Khidkijeula of Aathabis municipality.

The road was opened in the presence of Dailekh Chief District Officer Gogan Bahadur Hamal and security officials. Dailekh District Police Chief (DSP) Bhuvneshwar Prasad Sah said that the Nepali army used explosives to break a large stone. "The road has been opened for vehicles to drive till Kalikot." DSP Sah said, since the road has been damaged by landslides in some other places as well, all vehicles should be driven carefully.

The road connecting Jumla from Kalikot has been blocked due to landslides and floods. The road has been blocked at Yesmode and Seri Ghat in Kalikot section due to flooding and landslides. Chief of District Police Office Kalikot (DSP) Nayashwar Rimal said that the Esmode landslide will be cleared by Friday and an alternative road will be built as the Tila River has inundated the road. "There is no road as the Tila River flows there," he said. 

Kalikot police chief Rimal said new and alternative roads have to be built to resume vehicular movement. It is not possible to say how long it will take to open the highway. Kalikot police said that they are preparing to build a new road using explosives at Seri Ghat.