"Over 50 meters of road section at Sadhi Kholsa area has subsided," informed Bharat Sapkota, chairman of Zero Kilo Melamchi Road Struggle Committee. "Although we had informed the authorities concerned about the deteriorating road condition on time, they did not pay heed and now the road is completely closed," he said. The struggle committee was formed after the authorities responsible for the repair and maintenance of the road did not conduct periodic maintenance.The road started subsiding since Friday. Locals then barred movement of heavy vehicles especially those belonging to the MWSP used to transport construction materials. "We stopped the movement of heavy vehicles so that the road could still be used by small vehicles and most importantly ambulances," informed Sapkota.
The 22-km Lamidada-Melamchi road section was blacktopped two years ago at the cost of Rs 5.5 million. But now most of the blacktopping has disappeared.
"The 17-km road section from Zero Kilo to Bahunepati is in pretty poor condition. The heavy vehicles belonging to several crusher plants are mainly responsible for this," said Shyam Lamsal, chairman of Indrawati Environment Conservation Committee. "Dust and smoke from the heavy vehicles and crusher plants have made lives difficult for the locals."
However, Ghanashyam Bhattarai, acting director of MWSP said they will coordinate with the departments of roads to repair the road section as soon as the monsoon ends. "District Development Committee (DDC) of Kavrepalanchowk and Sindhupalchowk should also contribute in road repair and maintenance work as they have been collecting taxes from vehicles using this road," he said.
Lamsal also blamed the DDC offices of Kavre and Sindhupalchowk for the poor road condition. "They have been collecting millions of rupees in taxes from crushers and mining plants, which operate heavy vehicles in this road round-the-clock," said Lamsal.
Helambu Transportation Committee, a grouping of bus operators that ply the Kathmandu-Helambu road, has also requested to the government for immediate repair and maintenance of the road section.
Related story
Construction of Melamchi-Helambu road damaged by floods and lan...
