This time these overloaded trucks, sometimes carrying loads two to three times more than the 10-ton capacity of our roads, have been largely blamed for the serious damage caused to a 60-km stretch of the Prithvi Highway, the main artery linking the heart of the nation, capital Kathmandu, with the rest of the country.
Officials claim that the condition of a 16-km stretch of the road very close to the capital is so bad that it is not even in a position to be repaired. This information certainly gives us a reason to be deeply worried. Any disruption in the smooth flow of vehicles in this highway throws the life of thousands of Nepalis out of gear and one can only imagine what will happen if the road is rendered completely unusable. First, since not everyone can opt to travel via the aerial route, it will seriously impact the daily life of people, primarily those from the low-income category. Of course, prices of everything will soar and with inflation already deeply affecting people’s lives, it will create quite a chaos, especially inside the Kathmandu valley.
Roads are said to be a great indicator of how developed a country is and the condition of the Prithivi Highway truly tells a compelling story of where we are on that front. Concerned officials claim that approximately 1.5 billion rupees is needed to reconstruct the road and bring it back to shape but, at the same time, lament that their hands are tied because they do not have the funds to get into action mode. While the absence of money to start acting might be a genuine complaint, that cannot be a reason to maintain the status quo. A solution has to be worked out and the problem has to be addressed—immediately.
As that happens, it is also equally important to make sure those tippers and trucks that flaunt the load limit are meted out exemplary punishment. The general public should not suffer because a handful of businessmen just cannot wait to make truckloads of money.
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