Accidents along BP Highway on the rise

Sindhulimadi, January 18

The number of road accidents has increased along the BP Highway, of late.

According to District Traffic Police Office, Sindhuli, as many as 35 major road accidents occurred in a period of five months in which 31 persons died and 27 were injured.

Police said a minimum of one accident was reported on a daily basis, along the road section from Bhiman of Kamalamai Municipality to Kuseshwor Dumja, Sunkoshi Rural Municipality. Police said that time card system was introduced to minimise road accidents two years ago and the system helped reduce road accidents almost to zero.

DSP Binod Sharma at District Police Office, Sindhuli said the increase in the number of road accidents was due to overspeeding and violation of time card system.

Police said that half-an-hour was allowed for light vehicles and 40 minutes’ time for heavy vehicles to cross the 18-km distance from Bhiman to Sindhuli checkpoint.

As per the time card system, light vehicles and heavy vehicles had to cross the 38-km stretch from Traffic Checkpoint to Khurkot in one-and-a-half hours and one hour and 50 minutes respectively. Likewise, light vehicles and heavy vehicles were allowed one hour and 10 minutes, and one-and-a-half hours respectively to get past the 33-km road from Khurkot to Dunja.

Police said micro-buses and motorcycles were involved in most accidents.