Chitwan, September 16

Following sharp rise in the number of accidents recently, District Police Office, Traffic Police Office, Narayangadh-Muglin Road Project and Division Road Office have expedited construction of parapets at 38 places highly vulnerable to accidents along the Narayangadh-Muglin road section.

As many as four buses plunged into Trishuli River along the road section in the past one month, killing 25 persons. Over a dozen persons are still missing following the accidents.

Up to 9,000 vehicles ply the road section on a daily basis, according to Area Police Office, Muglin. Though the condition of road from Muglin to Mauwakhola is relatively good, the road is narrow and has multiple bends.

The road leading to Narayangadh from Muglin is quite chaotic. The ongoing road expansion work along the Narayangadh-Muglin section has been causing accidents.

Rajan Bhetwal, inspector at District Traffic Police Office, Chitwan said limited width of the road and multiple bends make it difficult for vehicles to pass through the road.

According to Bhetwal, lack of parapet, wall, traffic signals, and reflecting boards are factors that have led to the rise in accidents. He also shared that installation of traffic signals and construction of physical infrastructures, among others, along the 42-kilomterr long road section have begun.

From Jugedi to Muglin, 32 places have been identified as accidents prone areas while six sites have been identified as accident prone zones from Muglin to Mauwakhola.

According to SP Basant Kuwar, Gaighat, Ghumaune, Kalikhola, Bhorle Bridge and Jalbire areas are most prone to accidents along the Narayangadh-Muglin road section.

Mukund Adhikari, engineer at Division Road Office, Bharatpur said work on constructing walls, cement parapets, metal cross barriers was under way. Adhikari hoped that this would avert accidents taking place during Dashain and Tihar.