Dhangadi, May 28

Prof Jayaraj Panta and eight others lost their life in a jeep accident in Doti, Jijodamandau along the Banedangrinsain-Jijodamandau road section on April 12 this year. Later a police investigation showed poor condition of the road was the cause of the accident.

On October 7, 2014, a more deadly mishap at Doti’s Jorayal along the Budar-Jorayal road claimed the lives of thirty one persons. Fifty nine others were injured in the road accident. Following the tragedy, a probe committee was formed and it furnished its report, in which it attributed the accident to poor road condition and the vehicle carrying passengers above its capacity.

In fact, operation of vehicles is not allowed along the road sections. So, the frequent accidents occurring along the road sections are understandable. The roads, however, are just a few cases in point as there are many rural and main roads in the far-west that are not authorised for operation of vehicles.

Far-west Transportation Entrepreneurs’ Association member Sitaram Joshi rued the operation of vehicles on unauthorised roads. “There are vehicles that ply the unauthorised roads which has posed risk to the passengers. Many a time it is a reason why the kin of the accident victims don’t get fair compensation,” said the association member.

On his part, Chief District Officer Keshav Prasad Acharya clarified that permission can’t be granted for operation of vehicles on roads that have not met the necessary criteria.