Dilapidated road creates problems in orange supply

Parbat, Jan. 29: Farmers of Jaljala rural muncicpality-1, Banskharka, in Parbat district have been facing problems in transporting orange due to bad condition of road. Although a single village of the rural municipality produce orange worth millions of rupees, it could not be transported to market following the bad condition of road reaching villages.  There is a problem to big vehicles to reach villages in lack of upgradation of Baribeni-Bagar-Banskharka road connecting Banskharka. 

A local Jagat Bahadur Khatri said, "There is gravel road facility from Baribeni and Milan Chowk to reach Banskharka. But big vehicles cannot reach the orange gardens due to dilapidated condition of road." He further said, "There is a compulsion to supply orange up to Beni-Maldhunga road in small vehicles and shift the products to big vehicles from there to take them to market which takes more time and transport cost."

An entrepreneur of Kalimati, who reached here to buy orange, shared that it would be easier if they could transport oranges in a big container. It would take around one and half hours to cross 10 kilometer road, he added. A detailed project report (DPR) has already been carried out to blacktop the road linking Barabeni of Jaljala rural municipaliy-2 toward no 1, Banskharka but the road has not been upgraded yet after the budget has not been allocated for the same.

Meanwhile, in Rukum West different road sections of Rukum West along Rapti highway are being upgraded. It has become easier in movement of vehicles and people after road upgradation from Musikot municipality-4 Solabang along Rapti highway to Shitalpokhari along Mid-Hilly highway, said a bus driver Rim Bahadur Pun. The road along the road section has been widened and blacktopped. 

Pun shared, "Earlier, the road was very narrow and there was risk of accident. Now it has become easier to operate vehicle after road upgradation."

A 10-kilomter road from Jalekharka of Salyan to Jhaktekhola of Tribeni rural municipality of Rukum West, six-kilometer road from Solabang of Musikot municipality-4 to Shitalpokhari of Rukum West and six-kilometer road from Solabang to Raukhet along Rapti highway are being upgraded, according to Chief of Road Division office, Chourjahari, Tejaswi Sharma. 

Similarly, construction of 10-kilometer road from Jalekharka of Salyan to Jhaktekhola of Tribeni rural municipality-9 in Rukum West has begun from around two years ago at a cost of Rs 210 billion. The road section has achieved 65 per cent physical progress so far. 

Likewise, six-kilometer road from Solabang of Musikot municipality-4 to Raukhet along Rapti highway is being blacktopped. The road section has achieved 70 per cent progress so far. A total of Rs 210 billion was allocated for the road upgradation. 

Upgradation work of the six-kilometer road from Shitalpokhari to Solabang is underway at a cost of Rs 60 million. The road section has achieved 50 per cent physical progress so far.