Road Accidents Claim Lives in Sindhuli: A Growing Concern

Recent Tragic Incidents

In Sindhuli, road accidents continue to take lives, leaving families devastated. On a recent Friday morning, a pickup truck (BP 01-024 CH 9913) veered off the BP Highway and plunged 500 meters down in Sunkoshi Rural Municipality-6, Shitalpati. The accident killed Dharmaraj Regmi (55), a resident of Makwanpur’s Manahari Rural Municipality-4, and seriously injured the driver, Niraj, who was rushed to Dhulikhel Hospital.

Just two months earlier, 10-year-old Mandesh Sada lost his life while crossing the Madan Bhandari Highway in Dudhauli. A speeding car hit him, and despite being taken to the local hospital, he could not be saved. His father, Gangaram Sada, shared his grief: “If the driver had followed traffic rules, my son would still be with us.”

Alarming Statistics

Since Shrawan 2081 (July 2024), over 30 people have died in road accidents in Sindhuli, while 522+ have been injured—some left permanently disabled. Key highways like BP Highway, Madan Bhandari Highway, and Mid-Hill Highway witness frequent crashes due to:

• Sharp turns & reckless speeding

• Lack of traffic discipline

• Poor road safety awareness

Police & Public Concerns

• BP Highway: 82 accidents (11 deaths, 223 injuries)

• Madan Bhandari Highway: 78 accidents (14 deaths, 208 injuries)

• Mid-Hill Highway: 7 accidents (1 death, 16 injuries)

• Local roads: 38 accidents (4 deaths, 74 injuries)

Traffic Inspector Mohammad Kalim Anjum blames driver negligence as the main cause but admits limited manpower makes enforcement difficult.

Call for Public Responsibility

Experienced drivers like Ram Bahadur Shrestha stress that both drivers and pedestrians must follow rules. Locals often dry straw on roads or cross carelessly, increasing risks. "Wider roads alone won’t help, people’s behavior must change," say community leaders.

The Bottom Line

Without stricter traffic enforcement, public awareness, and better road behavior, Sindhuli’s highways will keep claiming lives. Families like Dharmaraj’s and Mandesh’s remind us: Road safety is everyone’s duty.