Landslides disrupt Martadi-Kolti road

By Sher Bahadur Sarki,Bajura, July 8: The Martadi–Kolti road section in Bajura district has been rendered impassable following recurring landslides triggered by monsoon rains.

Heavy rainfall from Friday evening to Saturday morning caused a major landslide at Jilli, in Badimalika Municipality-7, blocking the Martadi–Kolti route, the District Administration Office of Bajura, said. 

The closure has severely impacted travel for residents of remote northeastern areas such as Himali, Swamikartik, and Jagannath, who rely on this road to reach the district headquarters, Martadi. Locals are now risking their lives navigating the hazardous terrain on foot due to lack of alternatives.

According to Ram Karki, a resident of Budhinanda Municipality, landslides began appearing as early as May but were manageable during dry spells. However, recent continuous rainfall has worsened the situation further. 

He pointed out that the absence of a bridge at Bauli, inability to control landslide at Jilli, and no bridge over the Dan Sanghu stream are the three primary reasons for the frequent road disruption in every monsoon.

Despite repeated appeals to authorities, residents feel neglected, having to endure the same hardship every rainy season. The road condition remains poor from Dhamkane to Kolti. Though contracts were issued in 2019 for road blacktopping, progress has been severely delayed. Two contractors -- Dhulikhel Gwalba Shyam & Shankar Pvt. Ltd., Kathmandu and Baniya Koteshwor JV, Hetauda -- were awarded the project in 2019. They were tasked with blacktopping nearly 40 km of the Martadi–Kolti road at a total cost of Rs. 850 million.

While blacktopping along the 9-kilometre stretch from Martadi to Chuthi has been completed, the 31-kilometre section from Dhamkane to Kolti remains unpaved. The contractors have already received over Rs. 350 million as the first tranche.

 Chief of the Physical Infrastructure Development Office, Achham, Jung Bahadur Thapa, said that efforts are underway to clear the Jilli landslide, and the road will reopen soon.

Meanwhile, Chief District Officer Meghnath Padhya of Bajura said that landslides at multiple points, including Sanfe–Martadi and Martadi–Kolti, have become common during the monsoon. He said that they were coordinating with local governments and infrastructure offices, and machinery such as excavators will soon be deployed to clear the blocked road sections.