Sudurpashchim Province Faces Alarming Rise in Road Accidents and Fatalities

Dhangadhi. The situation regarding road accidents in Sudurpashchim Province remains critical. High speeds, traffic rule violations, and poor road conditions are leading to daily fatalities.

According to the Sudurpashchim Province Police Office, a total of 1,038 road accidents occurred across the province between Shrawan 1 and Chaitra end, resulting in 165 deaths.

Police report a high number of injuries as well. Over the nine-month period, 1,755 people were injured, many of whom suffered permanent disabilities.

Among the nine districts of Sudurpashchim, the Terai districts of Kanchanpur and Kailali show the highest accident rates. Statistics indicate that Kanchanpur recorded the highest number of accidents, with 469 incidents.

Similarly, Kailali, the current provincial capital, recorded 358 accidents. According to Superintendent of Police (SP) Sagar Bohara, Assistant Spokesperson for the Sudurpashchim Province Police Office, Kanchanpur has been the most affected district in terms of road accidents over the nine-month period.

Road accidents have also impacted livestock.

Stray cattle are identified as a contributing factor to the rising accident rate. Statistics show that 16 animals died and 7 were injured in road accidents during this period. Stray cattle on highways combined with speeding vehicles are the primary causes of such incidents.

The police claim to be active in reducing road accidents and enforcing traffic rules. In the process of penalizing drivers for traffic violations, the police collected 21,964,500 rupees in revenue over the nine-month period.