SINDHULI, April 17: The rural roads of Sindhuli district are considered to be amongst the most dangerous in the country. Narrow dirt roads with frequent sharp turns make the travel risky, even to the most experienced drivers.
Despite being aware of this danger, commuter buses traveling along these roads are often at over-capacity, carrying up to twice the number of passengers these buses were designed to carry. This practice puts the lives of many at constant risk.
The unseen side of cricket
Buses operating on these roads ply their routes only two to four times a day to maximize their profits. This forces commuters to travel on these overcrowded buses. While traveling to Chakmake from Sindhuli Madi, male passengers, for exmaple, are required to sit on the roof of the bus due to a lack of space in the cabin.
To make matters worse, the traffic police have been turning a blind eye to this practice. Whenever buses approach the police check-post of Sindhuli Madi - Chakmake road intersection, bus drivers and their assistants require passengers to climb down from the roof and walk past the check points.
The police only limit their search for over-capacity buses at such checkpoints. This has led some to conclude the police and bus operators are in collusion; "There is no doubt the police are aware of overcrowded buses. Instead of making travel safe, the agreements between the police and bus operators have made it more dangerous instead," said a commuter of Rani Churi VDC, who asked not to be named. " Just 500 meters past the checkpoint, the passengers clamber back onto the rooftops and carry on their journey. The police simply pretend not to notice this," he added.
Such practices have frequently claimed the lives of passengers. Many accidents could have been prevented had the local authorities had been more willing to enforce existing rules. Only after a serious accident do local administrations and police actively prohibit over-capacity bus rides. This diligence is, however, only temporary and soon enough, the practice resumes. said Bishal Gautam of Chakmake.
The failure of local administration to enforce the law makes a potentially risky journey more dangerous. The situation is further compounded by the condition of many of the buses. Lack of inspection means old buses continue to ply these dangerous roads. They are at more risk of having technical problems like brake failure, increasing the chance of accidents. Moreover, local administrations have not asked bus operators to add more vehicles to reduce overcrowding.
-1200x560_20230318142551.jpg)
