As landslides have damaged Rapti highway in several places of Rukum and Salyan districts, hundreds of people have been unable to reach their destinations.
Landslides have damaged the highway in Bhalakcha, Simratu, Muru and Dangimod of Rukum and Simkholi of Salyan districts. No effort to clear the highway has borne fruits so far. [break]
Dilip Thapa, general secretary of Sisne Himal Transport Entrepreneurs´ Association, said some vehicles have been stranded in the middle of the highway. "Some vehicles have been trapped," said he. "Neither have they been able to move forward nor can they go back."
Lab Kumar Gautam, a local transport entrepreneur, said some drivers and their helpers have been spending time with hungry stomachs in the middle of the highway, waiting for the road to get cleared. "They are hungry," said Gautam. "Besides, they are living in fear of being crushed with landslides in the night. They cannot abandon their vehicles on the road, either."
According to Gautam, nearly three dozens of vehicles have been stranded in several sections of the highway, which was blocked for one week in July as well. This is the second time that the highway has been blocked for one week within just one month. Transport entrepreneurs say government bodies have not done enough to help resume transport service in the highway.
As the highway that connects Rukum with Dang continues to get blocked, locals of Rukum have been forced to walk for more than four hours to catch buses in Salyan district. "It usually takes four hours to reach Dang from Rukum," said Lila Mani Gautam, a local resident of Rukum. "Now, we have to spend two days to reach Dang from Rukum.
Gautam says vehicles are unable to ply smoothly even on places where the highway is not blocked. "We often have to get off the bus and push it forward through the muddy road," said he.
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