Jajarkot villagers reel under fate honed by swollen rivers, landslides and perilous trails

Jajarkot - Transportation services along 70 – km road stretch from Jajarkot's Khalanga to Dolpa's bordering town of Triveni has been severed, transport entrepreneurs say.

The passengers have been barred from reaching their respective destinations after transport services remained out of operation in Rimna of Khalanga, Chepare Radi, Bagara Tallu and Tallu Triveni. This is the only route leading to Dolpa, which is now struggling with regular flights from domestic airlines.

Authorities have failed to reconstruct the trail routes that have collapsed due to steepness of the geographical locations. The absence of bridges over bigger rivers including the Bheri river has added to the woes. The vehicles that drive across the rivers during the winter seasons, when the water levels are considerably low, have also stopped services.

The passengers say that only some vehicles currently in service are ferrying the passengers, but by charging high fare.

The vehicular movement along Khalanga – Paanchkatiya section of Jajarkot – Jumla road has also stopped. The rising water level in Banke river, Rita river, Pipalchaur, Bagara, Sapanekhet, Wada, Karyakhet, Tatra and Tasugadh rivers has created problems in the transportation.

Meanwhile, multiple landslides along dozens of locations have blocked and swept away roads. The transportation along Kudu Jagatipur to Karki Gaun section of the mid – hill highway has been obstructed.

The neglect shown by the contractor company provided with the contract five years ago to build a bridge has resulted in this dire scenario.

The rising water level in the Morka river, according to local villager, Purna Bahadur Mahara, has prevented the villagers from wading across the river to head to their destinations.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the District Coordination Committee here has decided on extending relief packages to the stricken localities and building bridges in areas deemed necessary.

The meeting held on Sunday decided on extending relief and compensating the villagers stricken by the landslides and flooding in the rivers, according to Committee Coordinator, Man Bahadur Rawal. The authorities have decided on immediately building a bridge over Aaurari of Nalgadh municipality where the swollen river swept away a rickety wooden bridge.