People in Jajarkot have demanded the candidates of the upcoming local elections build motor road networks if they wish to bring development in the district.  

As Bheri Municipality is the only place in the district with motor access, the people are pressing the local political parties to focus on building roads after the elections. They are of the view that roads are gateway to development and that the elected officials should prioritise road projects above all.   

“We have been demanding the parties to be serious about constructing roads. With motor access, we can easily transport medicinal herbs, fruits, vegetables and other local produces to the market,” said Padamkala Malla, of Damdala in Kushe Village Counicil-5. 

Without road networks, most farmers in the district have been facing hardship finding market for their produces. It is difficult to maintain freshness of farm produces if one is planning to sell them outside their villages.    

Kharka Bahadur Chhetri, a farmer from Panchkatiya in Kushe Village Counicil-5, said the fruits and vegetables grown in his farm do not fetch much profit because there are not a lot of customers in his village.  

“I could find a better market to sell my produces if there was road in my village,” he said.

Thirty-one road projects in Jajarkot are still in development phase for a long time and the people cannot wait to see these projects completed. 

Ashish Thapa Magar, chief of the Division Road Office in Chaurjahari, said the office needs Rs 200 million and Rs 400 million to complete the construction of Jajarkot-Jumla road and Jajarkot-Dolpa road (Bheri Corridor) each year. “However, the higher authorities are sending insufficient budget. Some of the road projects have not completed even in 10 years because of budget issues,” he said. 

Khadka Bahadur Bista of Damdala said the people want competent leaders to transform the district. 

“I hope that competent people are elected in this election. The people should not waste their votes on corrupt and unqualified people,” he said.