The roads constructed by all nine local levels of Kalikot district are at high-risk of accident, it has been found.
The stakeholders say the risk has shot up after tractors started plying the rural roads in a haste to inaugurate the road in an effort to convey the message that the road has reached the village.
Samun Kumar Bam of Palanta-2 said that the tractor reached the village even though there was no bridge over the Karnali.
Tractors are now operating in Palanta in Karnali during the dry season. They are in operation from Thirpu to Randuneta, Khandagaun, Saina and Paroti.
At the same time, the Palanta Rural Municipality brought its own Swagat Palanta transport into operation on the occasion of the ‘People’s War Day’ on February 13, 2020. The municipality has been running four vehicles since then.
Chairman of the Rural Municipality Laxman Bahadur Bam said that since the road was destroyed due to heavy rains, the vehicles could not run much due to the risky roads.
Due to the lack of improvement in the roads dug by dozers, there is no other vehicle at any local level other than tractors.
Even the roads within Raskot Municipality, which is considered to be better geographically, cannot be easily used by passenger vehicles. Due to the recent floods, only motorcycles and tractors can operate on the main road from Raskot Municipality to the ward.
Harka Bahadur Bam of Raskot-1 said that it would take a long time to walk as no passenger vehicle was operating in the area.
He said that they had to travel on the tractor to reach their destination.
Abisara Bhandari of Palanta-1 said that he used to ride on a tractor even though it was a risky journey as he could not go uphill by slippery roads. Only a few passenger vehicles ply the roads constructed by the municipality.
Source : TRN,
