DHANGADI: Theft of stones from gabion walls erected along the roadside has exposed Bhimdatta Highway, the only highway that joins the hilly districts of the region, to damage.

Moreover, with the monsoon season already setting in, the danger has become even more pronounced.

In the absence of gabion walls that were built for support and prevention of possible landslides, the road joining Kailali’s Attariya to Dhadeldhura has suffered cave-ins at a number of places, while at other places the rainfall has triggered landslides.

According to far-west Road Division Dipayal Engineer Sunilbabu Panta, landdslides have increased at Budar, Gaira, Sahajpur and Rubaskanda stretches of the highway.

“Landslides are already occurring and the problem is sure to exacerbate once the monsoon is in full spate,” said Panta, adding, “Every year, we repair them (gabion walls), but as theft has not been controlled, even normal rainfall is enough to spark landslides and cave-ins and obstruct the road.”

Chamber of Commerce and Industry Doti chapter Chairperson Birendra Shah suspects the contractors are involved in the theft.

“They might have stolen the stones as that would be easy way for them to acquire construction materials,” Shah said, adding, “Empty trucks could have been supplying stones to the Tarai.”

On his part, Doti District Administration Administrative officer Janakraj Regmi said an organised group could be involved. He informed about the plan of his office to check vehicles operating along the road to end the theft. “As the problem is emerging as a major one, we’re thinking of pressing public offence charge on those found guilty,” he said.

Meanwhile, extraction of boulders and gravel from the roadside has added to the woes of the highway, alongside Dr KI Singh Highway, which has also suffered a similar fate due to mining of gravel and boulders from the roadside.