Surkhet Division Road Office (DRO) has started to build a fence system along the Surkhet-Jumla section of the Karnali Highway to prevent road accidents. 

At least 165 accidents have occurred along the road in the last 10 years. The crash barriers are expected to prevent the vehicles from crashing down the road.

According to the DRO, the fencing project has already completed at places like Kitu Bhir of Dailekh, Hulma Jite, Bihani, Tadi Bhir, Timure and Serawada in Kalikot, Kalyan in Surkhet and Gadgadeni in Jumla.

Bel Bahadur Bhujel, chief of the DRO, said 130 people were working daily in Dailekh, Kalikot and Jumla to complete the project.

“People can feel safe travelling the what was considered one of the most accident-prone areas after the fence is completed,” he said. The Road Sector Development Project (RSDP) is helping the DRO to construct the fence.

Kabi Century, in charge of the District Traffic Police in Manma, said though the iron fence will limit the number of road accidents, that alone will not resolve the problem.

“The condition of the road itself needs to be upgraded. The road should be expanded and gabion walls should be constructed at various sections,” he said.