Jaya Prithvi Highway's Bagthala-Chainpur section in poor condition

By Our Correspondent,Bajhang, July 16: The Bagthala-Chainpur road section under the Jaya Prithvi Highway in Bajhang is in a miserable state. Commuters have to endure severe discomfort to travel along the 45 km road due to the countless potholes. The potholes on the road and the issue of water collecting in them during the rainy season make travel very difficult. In some places, there are deep water-filled pits; in others, slippery curves. 

The Jayaprithvi Highway often gets blocked at various points, such as Jalebagar, Baluwaatar, and Bhyagute Khola, due to dry landslides in winter and falling debris during the rainy season. Despite being blacktopped at a cost of nearly Rs. 300 million with financial support from the World Bank, the road began deteriorating even before the construction was completed. Locals have accused the contractor and the project office of using outdated technology for the blacktopping, which  was of substandard quality.

According to locals, the current condition of the road is the result of contractors and government officials focusing more on making quick profits rather than properly constructing the road. Although millions are allocated annually for this project, delays in completion have only worsened the situation over time. As a result, not only travelers but also drivers and transport operators are facing severe difficulties. 

It has become common for vehicles to suffer from broken parts, malfunctioning horns, and failing engines. According to transport entrepreneurs operating along the route, the journey from Bagthala to Chainpur, which should take only one and a half hours, now takes five hours.

One local, Dipak Raj Joshi, said that the elected parliamentarians were urged to improve the condition of the road, but no one paid attention. According to him, the public has been forced to suffer due to the negligence of political leaders and the arbitrary behaviour of contractors. The Bagthala–Chainpur section of the Jayaprithvi Highway has become a symbol of hardship for the people. The carelessness of contractors and project officials, political apathy, and technical weaknesses have resulted in the current suffering of the public.

Despite the government spending millions of rupees through various initiatives such as strategic road and bridge construction, road infrastructure development programmes, highway upgrading, and reconstruction projects, effective implementation has not been achieved. As a result of the continued poor condition of road infrastructure, the residents of Bajhang are forced to endure daily hardships.

Laxman Datt Joshi, the acting head of the Road Division Office in Baitadi, stated that the upcoming budget includes provisions for filling potholes and road maintenance, and the contract process will move forward starting in the month of Shrawan. He mentioned that due to landslides at various locations during the monsoon season, roads often get blocked. Therefore, two sky excavators have been deployed in landslide-prone areas to clear the debris and reopen the roads when landslides occur.