Traffic Police Manually Install Warning Signs on Dhading Highway Section Amid Safety Lapses

Dhading. The expansion work on the Nagdhunga-Naubise section of the Tribhuvan Highway has reached its final stage. Although the road has been paved and widened, the delay in installing necessary road safety signs has led to a high risk of accidents.

Considering this potential risk, traffic police have themselves taken up shovels and spades to install traffic awareness signs (boards) in dangerous locations. Due to the absence of boards identifying downhill slopes, uphill sections, and dangerous curves after the road expansion, drivers are getting confused, leading to daily minor and major accidents. Since the installation of road signs is expected to take some more time, traffic police have started placing awareness boards on their own initiative in risky and difficult turns.

Traffic Police Inspector Shishir Thapa from the District Traffic Police Office, Gajuri, Dhading, informed that traffic police are personally engaged in erecting boards to reduce the risk of accidents because necessary safety signs have not been placed despite the road being paved, widened, and smooth. According to him, the team placed such boards at 13 extremely risky locations along the Naubise-Malekhu section on Wednesday alone.

Police Inspector Thapa stated that traffic police on duty started digging holes with shovels themselves because it was difficult to hire daily wage laborers due to budget constraints. Locals who saw the police officers, wearing white caps and belts, standing on the road digging holes for the boards praised the traffic police for their commendable work.

“In a situation where the technical work for road safety has not been completed by the Department of Roads and the construction company, this initiative by the police will provide great relief to passengers and drivers,” said Jagannath Khatiwada, a local from Galchi. According to him, prioritizing passenger safety, the traffic police identified areas where major accidents have occurred previously and where there is currently a high risk of accidents, and placed awareness boards there.

“During the construction of the new road structure, the old signboards were uprooted, making it difficult for drivers to understand the road conditions,” said Police Inspector Thapa, adding, “As an effort to prevent accidents, we ourselves are deployed in the field to erect these boards.”

Along with road expansion, road safety infrastructure is equally necessary. Locals say that the proactiveness of the traffic police has somewhat mitigated the void created by the lack of signboards, even though the road is physically complete.