Dhading, June 13

The 88-km road section from Nagdhunga Pipalamod on Tribhuvan Highway to Mauwakhola on Prithvi Highway witnesses accidents almost every day. However, the authorities concerned have paid no attention towards the problem.

Nothing has been done by the authorities concerned to set up effective rescue mechanism to reduce casualties resulting from road accidents.

Prithvi Highway sees the second highest number of accidents in the country, but the government has conspicuously failed to put in place necessary rescue mechanism to save lives.

As per the data with District Police Office, Dhading, some 96 persons lost their lives and over 1,000 were injured in 951 accidents till mid-June this fiscal.

In the past one month alone, half a dozen vehicles were destroyed in accidents as they caught fire. Due to poor rescue management, hundreds of people, including dozens of vehicles, are still missing as the vehicles fell into the rivers.

As there is lack of well-equipped hospitals on the highway, it has affected the treatment of people injured in accidents. “In case of an accident, the injured have to be rushed elsewhere, as a result many succumb to injuries on the way itself,” lamented Dhading’s Gajuri Rural Municipality chief Rajendra Bikram Basnet.