Vehicles ferrying apples stranded after highway blockage in Karnali

Karnali, Aug 31: The vehicles carrying locally produced apples worth millions of rupees have been stranded after the Karnali Highway remained disrupted for four days.     

Vehicular movement along the highway has been obstructed by landslides at various sections such as Gagane Khola of Kalikot, and Mode, Malachaur of Dailekh.     

The vehicles ferrying apples grown in Humla and Mugu districts and moving towards Surkhet and Nepalgunj have been stuck on roads in Kalikot and Dailekh.     

District Administration Office, Kalikot's Chief District Officer (CDO), Ganesh Nepali, shared that they were coordinating with the Road Division Office in Jumla to remove the landslide debris.     

Talking to Rastriya Samachar Samiti, he shared that a landslide damaged the motorable bridge at Dahikhola situated at the border of Kalikot and Dailekh. "Efforts are underway to clear the landslide debris to resume the traffic movement at the earliest," mentioned CDO Nepali.     

Similarly, the CDO of Dailekh, Khimlal Bhusal, informed that they were mobilizing resources to remove the debris and resume traffic on the highway. "The road at Kitu River has subsided. Hence we are constructing a wall from the beneath to prevent the road from further subsidence."     

CDO Bhusal is hopeful that the debris will be cleared within two days. Security personnel have been facilitating the pedestrians by placing stones in the muddy areas so that they navigate the places avoiding risk.     

Although vehicles carrying passengers have been assisted in their movement by police, the vehicles with apples remain stuck. Local traders are worried that their investment will not yield profits due to road blockage.     

Trader Ram Bahadur Khatri, shared the plight, "Apples were harvested with the hope to make some profits but they have been stuck on the road for four days. The extra expenses incurred by bearing the expenses of the driver and the assistant drivers during the prolonged highway blockade are adding to our loss."     

The closure of the highway is causing substantial financial loss to the traders since apples-carrying vehicles are stranded, added the trader hailing from Chandannath municipality-9 of Jumla district. (RSS)