Damauli, July 28

The Damauli-Dumre road section along Prithvi Highway has reopened for two-way traffic from last night following a weeklong disruption.

The highway was closed for traffic after the Damauli-Dumre section caved-in on July 21 due to incessant rainfall. Tanahun’s Assistant Chief District Officer Chitrangat Baral said the route had been readied for two-way operation after its restoration.

Work to restore the road had begun on Saturday and an alternative route was used throughout the disruption period.

Meantime, Kotre-Mugling road section along Prithvi Highway reported less road causalities than the previous fiscal year.

Data shows that in fiscal year 2019-20, 44 people, including 30 males, 11 women and three minors lost their lives in accidents along the route and the figures in the previous two fiscal years were 61 and 65 respectively, District Traffic Office Chief Resham Ranabhat said. The route is considered an accident prone zone. Road accidents have been decreasing in the past three years.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, eight people: seven male and one female were killed in road accidents here.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on July 29, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.