DARCHULA: Sudha Bohara of Byas rural municipality-1 of the district has to walk for nearly three hours to Chhayalek of India whenever he has to make a phone call. And the phone service there is also not very reliable. One can hardly make a call from Chhayalek also. The connection is possible through the Kaichula tower only when there is sunshine.

The locals of Byas, the place close to the tri-junction of Nepal, India, and China, are now facing the problem for lack of telephone service in their area. The mobile network at Chhangru and Tinkar at ward number 1 is out of order for nearly nine months now.

The only available mobile tower –Sky Phone – suffered damage due to heavy snowfall last winter and the area was cut off to mobile phone service since then.

Locals of Byas area have started meeting the local leaders and politicians as well as the bodies concerned for restoring the mobile phone service in their area.

“Not only the people of Byas area even the Indian security personnel and Indian nationals are also dependent on Nepal’s phone service here,” Lalit Singh Bohara of Byas-1 said.

Around one thousand customers are served by the telephone tower at Byas. This tower was being operated through satellite link since a decade as it could not be connected with radio link due to its geographical remoteness.

The police station located at Byas area is also out of communication as the mobile tower is not functioning well.