Karnali road closure hits apple traders

By Our Correspondent,Kalikot, sept,1: Traders in Kalikot, Jumla and other districts of Karnali Province have been hit hard by the closure of the Karnali Highway due to the landslides. The impact has aggravated as it happened during the season of apple-picking and transportation. 

Multiple landslides occurred in the Shubhakalika Rural Municipality-1 Dahikhola section of the Karnali Highway due to continuous rains since Wednesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the road from Athabiskot Municipality-5 Khidkijyula of Dailekh to Dahikhola on the border of Kalikot has also been damaged by landslides. Landslides have occurred on the nine-kilometre section of the highway, and repair work is being carried out. 

In order to ease the heavy traffic, trucks and other vehicles loaded with apples from Jumla and Kalikot have been stopped at Tadi in Khandachakra Municipality-3. Although efforts are being made to open the road, traders are angry as the delay in transportation is causing damage to the produce. 

Assistant Sub-Inspector Top Bahadur Mahatara, Chief of District Traffic Office Kalikot, said that two excavators have been used to clear the biggest landslide at the Gaganekhola, and work is in progress at other locations as well. 

Ubjan Budha, a businessman who brought apples from the Sinja region, said that two trucks of apples were at risk of rotting. He said that it had been three days since the road was blocked, and there is a risk of apples being spoilt because they are kept in the truck without any safety measures since the traders couldn’t anticipate the delay.

The police said that they stopped the vehicles at Tadi Bus Park because it would be convenient for them to eat and stay. “The drivers and traders are not getting our facilitation. There is no place to eat or stay in Jite, Hulm or other places.”