GAIGHAT: Siddhicharan Highway has been obstructed for the past week by a landslide occurred at Hardeni-2 in Udayapur district.

As a result, people are finding it difficult to reach their destination because of the closure of vehicular movements while traders have been affected by their failure to transport essentials and petroleum.

Likewise, locals of Hardeni VDC have complained that supply of essentials and petroleum is running short in places like Ghurmi of Udayapur, Harkapur of Okhaldhunga and Khotang district.

Local traders have been fleecing people by flourishing black market in the name of a shortage of essentials, complained Dipendra Chamling of Halesi Chasmitar-3. He said prices of essentials and fuels have also soared, adding that customers were being charted almost double for essentials and petroleum, he added.

Situation will be worsening for those who need to travel long routes at a time when Dashain festival is fast approaching, said Surendra Khadka of Ghurmi.

When asked, the Area Police Office, Katari said although efforts were on with the help from police, Road Division Office and local people to open the road, continuous fall of landslides was creating difficulties.