Dhula Chaur becomes hub for trade, services

By Sher Bahadur Sharki,Bajura, Mar. 21: Dhula Chaur, located in Himali Rural Municipality-6 in north-eastern part of Bajura district, has recently emerged as the preferred choice among locals.

Once merely an open pasture, Dhula Chaur has become more prominent following the construction of the municipal administrative building in the area.

“My home was in Boldhik, and I used to live there. However, in recent years, due to the risk of landslides, I moved here and started trading,” said Ram Bahadur Rawat, a resident of Boldhik in ward no. 6.

He said, “Initially, there was nothing here, just bare stones. Later, a few people set up two or three tin shelters. Now, with the municipal building constructed here, Dhula Chaur has been established as a proper marketplace.”

Today, the market is bustling. Traders from Humla, Jumla, and Mugu come here to conduct business. Daily food supplies for the area are dispatched from this market. Due to the accessibility of essential services, locals now prefer Dhula Chaur for trade and other needs, Rawat noted.

Dhula Chaur now serves as the main market for the rural municipality. Daily supplies from this market reach all six wards of the municipality. In addition, neighbouring districts such as Humla, Jumla, and Mugu also rely on this market for their food supplies.

Previously devastated by landslides, the area is now filled with thousands of tin shelters, which have added to the market’s prominence.

The land belongs to the government, and since most of the local population was living in landslide-prone areas, they gradually settled here.

“Since this area suits residents from all wards, we built the municipal administrative building here,” said Govind Bahadur Malla, Chairperson of the Himali Rural Municipality.

He said, “For local safety, a temporary police outpost has been set up here. A primary health care centre is also operational to provide health services conveniently to the locals.”

All the land in Dhula Chaur is government-owned, which makes formal registration in the municipality’s name challenging. “We are currently taking steps to address this,” Chairperson Mall said.