No effort has been made to resume the highway though the landslides damaged Surkhet-Jumla section of the highway at around five dozens of places.[break]
The 232-km highway from Surkhet to Jumla has been damaged in Khidkijyula of Dailekh district and Serighad, Pili, Serawala, Ranchulli, Bali and other places in Kalikot district due to landslides, according to police in Kalikot.
Landslides in those places disrupted the highway for eight months last year and the transportation services resumed only in January after repair works that cost over Rs 46 million. The problem recurred due to irregularities in the repair and maintenance works, according to Lawmaker from Jumla Devi Lal Thapa.
Chief of the Road Division Office, Kalikot, Dev Kumar Tamang said it is unlikely that the transport services could resume on the highway before winter.
Following the road disruption, shortage of food has been reported in Jumla. The prices of daily essentials available in the market have also skyrocketed. A kg of sugar costs Rs 105 while it cost Rs 70 before the highway disruption.
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