Mechanical office to reopen blocked road set up in Jumla

By Netra Shahi,Jumla, May 15: A mechanical office has been established in Jumla to repair the broken-down heavy vehicles and open the roads and highways when they get blocked. 

The mechanical office has been established under the Department of Road of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport. 

About two years ago, a mechanical office was set up in name only. When the roads get blocked due to floods and landslides during the rainy season and snow in the winter season, it is often difficult to open them immediately. 

With the opening of the office with the necessary equipment and vehicles, it is now expected to be easier to reopen the roads when they get blocked. 

According to Dipendra Bista, Head of the Road Division Office, Jumla, Mechanical Engineer Saugat Pandey has been sent to the new office making him office chief until further arrangement. 

Bista said that the mechanical office was established with the necessary staff and machinery tools.

A team including Padam Prasad Pokhrel, Section Officer of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Shalikram Paudel, Section Officer of the Department of Road, Jaymagal Raya, Head of Heavy Equipment Division Nepalgunj, Engineer Shyam Bahadur Khadka, Chief Superintendent of Federal Road Supervision and Monitoring Office Surkhet reached Jumla and established the office. 

The office was inaugurated jointly by Mayor Raju Singh Kathayat of Chandannath Municipality, Chief District Officer Jay Kumar Ghimire and officials from the Road Division Office. 

According to Raya, Head of the Heavy Equipment Division Office, Nepalgunj, the problem of road blockage for a long time was increasing in the absence of a mechanical office in the reach of Jumla, Mugu and Kalikot districts.

Since the mechanical office needs a wide range of land space to keep the machinery tools, we have requested cooperation from the concerned parties here, he said. 

The conditions of the roads in Karnali will be monitored in Jumla and Mugu districts from the office and it will be in a stand-by position to reopen the blocked roads immediately, he said. 

Following the establishment of the office, locals have expressed their happiness. Mayor Kathayat said that the office was essential because the mechanical office would repair the government vehicles and open the blocked roads. 

According to him, it will take the initiative to find the necessary land for the office. CDO Ghimire, also thanked all those who played their roles to establish the mechanical office.