KARNALI: Vehicles carrying locally produced apples worth millions of rupees have been stranded for four days due to landslides blocking the Karnali Highway.
The obstruction has occurred at various sections, including Gagane Khola in Kalikot and Mode, Malachaur in Dailekh.
The blocked highway has caused vehicles transporting apples from Humla and Mugu districts to Surkhet and Nepalgunj to be stuck on roads in Kalikot and Dailekh.
Ganesh Nepali, Chief District Officer (CDO) of Kalikot, stated that they are coordinating with the Road Division Office in Jumla to clear the landslide debris.
He also mentioned that a motorable bridge at Dahikhola, located at the border of Kalikot and Dailekh, was damaged by the landslide.
Efforts are underway to restore traffic, with CDO Nepali expressing hope that the highway will be reopened soon.
Similarly, Dailekh’s CDO, Khimlal Bhusal, reported that resources are being mobilized to remove the debris and stabilize the road, particularly at the Kitu River, where subsidence has occurred.
A wall is being constructed to prevent further damage.
Although security personnel have assisted passenger vehicles by placing stones in muddy areas, the apple-laden trucks remain stuck.
Local traders are concerned about the financial losses they are incurring due to the extended blockage.
Trader Ram Bahadur Khatri from Chandannath Municipality-9 in Jumla shared his frustrations, stating, “We harvested apples with the hope of making some profit, but they have been stuck on the road for four days. The extra expenses for drivers and their assistants during this prolonged blockade are adding to our losses.”
The highway closure is causing significant financial strain on traders as the vehicles transporting apples remain stranded.
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