GORKHA: A bus ticket counter at Arughat village in the district bears a deserted look these days even though Dashain is round the corner, thanks to the traffic obstruction along the Gorkha-Arughat road for maintenance since July.

“As vehicles are not plying

on the road, northern parts of the district have been badly hit,”

said Maheshwor Thapa, who arrived at the district headquarters after two day’s walk from Pandung. The villagers there are in need of more essentials in view of the approaching festive season.

Rural Infrastructure Development and Livelihood Improvement Programme is yet

to gravel the road.

“I have these three bags to ferry, all on my own,” Gyan Bahadur Shrestha, a Borlang local returning from Qatar said.

Lack of motor transport has affected the people in Taple, Phinam, Masel, Ashrang, Borlang, Dhawa, Tandrang, Aruchanaute, Aruarwang, Arupokhari, Pandrung and Panchkhuwa VDCs.

Ramhari KC, secretary of

the Transport Entrepreneurs’ Committee, said they were

not consulted about the road upgradation project.

“Vehicles cannot ply anytime soon since the work is underway,” Sitaram Shrestha of RIDLIP said, adding that the road would be open for some days during the Dashain. RIDLIP, which has got to gravel the road by 2011, initiated the task this month.