Mountains. The Dobilla-Silmi-Thulipokhari-Khaula-Karkineta road section linking the district headquarters Kushma to the central part of the district has become risky due to the negligence of the contractors.

Hundreds of vehicles ply on the Pokhara-Baglung highway every day. Patients and school going students have been facing problems due to the removal of gravel and other materials from the Silmi-Thulipokhari road along the Silmi-Thulipokhari road. Daily vehicles plying via Thulipokhari have been stranded due to lack of timely road works.

Vehicular movement has been obstructed due to mud in the uphill areas as the road has been left in limbo without making alternative arrangements. Milan Poudel, a local, said that school going students and patients are also facing problems due to lack of regular vehicular movement.

Jhalak Prasad Rimal, ward chairman of Kushma Municipality-12, said that locals are facing problem as the road is not constructed by removing the soling during the muddy season. He accused the contractors of dillydallying in the need of proper management and repair of the alternative road.

“We have called the contractors time and again to resolve the problem but not much attention has been paid to them. ’

According to local and transport entrepreneur Suresh KC, it has been difficult to mobilize vehicles to and from Kushma, Pokhara and other places on a daily basis. According to him, the contractors have been threatened if they raise the issue of repairs.

Santosh Aryal, chief of Infrastructure Development Office, which has been entrusted with the responsibility of constructing and monitoring the road, said that they have given instructions to the construction side time and again in this regard. “We have been asking for the repair of the road immediately, but the problem has surfaced due to the refusal of contractors.

The risk of road accidents has increased due to the movement of small vehicles, motorcycles and pedestrians. Locals have urged the concerned bodies and construction companies to repair the road and make it systematic.

The upgradation of the five-km road has started with the approved budget of Rs 58 million for the fiscal year 2080÷81 of the Infrastructure Development Office. Only 25 per cent of the road construction has been completed so far. According to the District Infrastructure Office, the road will be blacktopped, sloped, drained, retaining wall and netting.