Karnali Highway blocked 21 times in three months

BY PREM RAJ SIMKHADA,Kalikot, Aug. 17: The Karnali Highway, a vital road connecting the Karnali region with the rest of Nepal, has faced repeated disruptions due to landslides since mid-June. According to police records, the highway has been blocked 21 times in just two months.

In mid-June to mid-July alone, landslides obstructed the road once at Galje, once at Lalu Khulalu, and five times at Hulma. Since mid-July, the highway at Hulma has been blocked six times, Tadi once, Molfa Bihani six times, and Galje once, totaling 14 incidents. The most troublesome section, Gagane Khola in Kalikot, which alone saw 21 landslides during the two months.

“The Gagane section has been witnessing problems not only this year but every year. Even light rain triggers mudslides, making travel hazardous,” said Information Officer of the District Police Office, Govinda Prasad Chaudhary. Due to the high risk of accidents and frequent landslides, authorities have restricted night travel along the highway.

The 232-kilometre Karnali Highway stretches from Surkhet through Dailekh to Manma of Kalikot and Jumla. On good roads, the trip can be completed in 8-9 hours. However, during the monsoon, the journey often takes more than a day as landslides obstruct travel, leaving residents of Kalikot, Jumla, Mugu, and Humla stranded.

DSP Tek Bahadur Rawat, chief of Kalikot Police, said, “Even light rainfall blocks the road. Since the start of the monsoon, police have been fully occupied exchanging information on landslides and reopening the road.”

Every year, vehicles are forced to halt at Gagane Khola during the rainy season, leaving passengers stranded. Locals blame poor-quality roadwork despite annual repair contracts. The Rs. 30 million gabion wall constructed to prevent landslides at Gagane was swept away last year, leaving conditions unchanged.

Chief District Officer of Kalikot, Narayan Prasad Bhattarai, said the Gagane section consistently troubles travelers, turning dusty in the dry season and muddy during the rainy season. He added that the administration has been urging the Road Division Office in Jumla to take effective landslide prevention measures.

Currently, three excavators are stationed in Kalikot to deal with landslides, while the Road Division Offices in Surkhet and Jumla frequently clear debris. Still, recurring slides at Gagane, Jite, Bihani, and other points continue to cause problems Truck driver Devraj Chaulagai said, “Other sections clear quickly after a slide, but Gagane Khola is always the worst.”

Despite the government spending Rs. 320 million on the Surkhet-Jumla highway section last fiscal year and local governments allocating an additional Rs. 50-60 million annually for roadwork, recurring landslides continue to cripple the Karnali Highway, frustrating travelers and residents.