KATARI: Despite government's huge investment in the maintenance of Siddicharan Highway, the overall condition of the road stretch has not improved so far.

More than 90 per cent of the highway is in a dilapidated state. Besides, vehicular movement along Katari--Ghurmi, one of the sensitive road stretch, has also been affected adversely.

Locals -- who once considered the highway as the backbone of Terai-Hill development -- are in trouble due to the poor condition of the highway, Chairman of Katari Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Puskar Khadka, said.

Katari Municipality Mayor Gyanendra Shrestha said, "Due to the poor condition of the highway, overall business, trade and development of the area have been affected."

He further said that the highway should be maintained as soon as possible to garner overall development of the region.

Although Katari--Ghurmi 46-km road section has a capacity of holding a weight of 10 tons but vehicles weighing more than 30 tons ply on the highway, Bhim Pulami of Katari Municipality-11 said.

Sometimes, even in coordination with traffic police, transport entrepreneurs supply goods weighing more than the normal road capacity, Pulami shared.

"Road Division Office did not carry out quality maintenance work. They just did it for the sake of doing it," Social Activist Ram Kumar Rai lamented.

Earlier, the road was constructed by the Nepal Army using auto seal technology.