BAJURA: Incessant rainfall for the last few days has disrupted most of the roads in Bajura, Achham, and Bajhang districts, making transportation troublesome in the far west.

Continuous rainfall has brought Betalmandu-Martadi, Martadi-Kolti, Sera-Aatichaur, Martadi-Bhaunera, Betalmandu-Pudababala road stretches, under Sanfe-Martadi road

section, to a complete halt in Bajura.

Khadakraj Joshi, of Betalmandu Bus Counter, said vehicular movement at Betalmandu had been disrupted as a result of landslides triggered by rains.

Meanwhile, swollen rivers are also said to have wiped away various diversions in the rivers of the area.

Various road stretches, including Sanfe-Payal, Sanfe-Budhakot, Jayagadh-Nandedada, Sanfebagar-Mujabagar, Mangalsen-Binayak, and Timelsen-Mujabagar, have been disrupted by landslides and rains.

DDC Achham said that landslips at various places had swept the diversions in local streams and disrupted roads in rural areas.

Bus service from Mangalsen of Achham to Surkhet has also been disrupted due to rising water level in the Karnali River.

Kamal Rawal, a local resident, said that the bus service had been closed down after water from the flooded river washed away the ferry at Sai in Karnali River.

Mudslides stoked by rains at different places have brought vehicular movement to a halt on the rural roads of Bajhang.

Manoj Singh from Chainpur of Bajahng said that rains had obstructed most of the roads in the villages of Bajhang.

Competition to construct new roads instead of upgrading and maintaining the quality of old ones is said to have caused the closure of rural roads. “Stakeholders usually only focus on construction of new roads in a haphazard manner, but ignore the quality of roads,” a local commented.

Bajura CPN-UML district member Kashi BK said that roads closed due to monsoon would reopen for Dashain and Tihar festivals.

With the closure of rural roads, the price of daily essentials has skyrocketed.

Trader Khadka Rokaya said that prices of daily essentials had soared by up to 30 per cent at many places in Bajura.