KANCHANPUR: Despite being part of Kanchanpur—widely known as an accessible district—the remote settlement of Khalla Masetti remains deprived of even the most basic development facilities.
Located 20 kilometers north of the district headquarters, the village is inaccessible by paved roads. The only route is a treacherous dirt track, making travel difficult year-round and nearly impossible during the monsoon. Basic services such as health care, education, electricity, and drinking water are either inadequate or completely absent.
Lok Bahadur Thapa Magar, who migrated here from Jogbudha in Dadeldhura in 2065 BS, described daily life as a constant struggle. “The biggest problem is the lack of roads. Children have to walk two hours just to reach school,” he said. “Getting medical treatment is extremely difficult, especially during emergencies.”
The village lacks a secondary school, and many children are forced to drop out and migrate to India. While there is a well-maintained road from Mahendranagar to Brahmadev (about 13 kilometers away), the journey beyond Brahmadev becomes challenging.
“During the rainy season, transporting patients becomes almost impossible,” said local resident Leela Pun Magar. “There’s no electricity or proper drinking water system either.” Although a drinking water project was launched five years ago, it remains incomplete.
Home to more than 600 people, Khalla Masetti has only one basic school. For further education, students must walk eight kilometers to reach Brahmadev. The road is so poor that even ambulances cannot reach the village.
Dhangiri Chunara, another resident, said he has waited over a decade hoping for a paved road and regular transport services. “Many times, we’ve had to carry sick people all the way to Brahmadev Bazaar on foot due to the absence of a proper health post,” he said. Irrigation facilities for farming are also lacking.
Local Rekha BK voiced frustration over limited access to government services. “Our ward office is located in Brahmadev. They say Singha Durbar has come to the villages, but we still walk two hours just for a referral,” she said. “We’re struggling to get even basic public services and facilities.”
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