Dashain season sees rise in road and air accidents in Nepal

Kathmandu – The saying by Amrit Sedhai, “With Dashain comes misfortune,” still lingers vividly in my mind. He mentioned this while discussing the vehicle that fell off the Bhasu cliff. Sedhai resides in Dipayal, the district headquarters of Doti. I have long intended to delve into his statement because of the multifaceted aspects of misfortune.

Every year in Nepal, road and air accidents claim hundreds of lives. For a few days, these incidents are studied meticulously, committees are formed, and reports are produced.

These reports gather dust in office files and remain far from achieving any substantial outcomes. Unfortunately, accidents continue to occur, and committees keep being formed. Thus, years pass by, and people keep dying.

Not long ago, a vehicle traveling from Pokhara to Kathmandu met with an accident in Dhading district and plunged into the Trishuli River. The incident and related news were widely covered by the media.

For two days, the news was such that the entire nation and stakeholders were singularly focused on the accident and its aftermath. However, as always, committees were formed, but unfortunately, no significant change came from any report, and it seemed like a full stop was placed on that chapter of road accidents.

Globally, various modes of transportation like airways, roadways, waterways, and railways are used. Due to Nepal’s geographical complexities and slow infrastructure development, we are almost non-existent in waterways and railways.

However, the question arises about the proper operation and management of airways and roadways. The country relies solely on these two modes, and the problems lie here as well. In the last fiscal year, there were 28,692 road accidents, resulting in 2,549 deaths. There were also air accidents, such as the one involving a Saurya Air plane that claimed 18 lives.

The question isn’t about how many died in which accident. The real question is why road accidents are being normalized in Nepal and why human life is so cheap.

Yes, this context brings up the recent jeep accident that resulted in 20 deaths. However, neither the news outlets gave it the same attention as an air crash, nor did the concerned authorities raise a strong voice.

I am not questioning this 30-day-old government, but the entrenched practices and systems that make road accidents seem commonplace.

Referring to yesterday’s jeep accident, why were 21 people in the jeep, or how did they fit? Why didn’t the concerned parties stop it? Or was it the usual practice of overloading, sending people to the afterlife on the eve of the monsoon while they were on a pilgrimage? These and similar questions become a painful concern every time an accident occurs.

Roads in Nepal are in a very complex state. But even more complex is the activity level of the bodies responsible for implementing policies and regulations. Just recently, the new government renamed the highway back to Mahendra Highway from East-West Highway.

Now, the plan is to upgrade the East-West Highway to international standards within three years. These initiatives are commendable.

However, when will the value of life, which is becoming increasingly cheap, rise? When will the loss of hundreds of lives in the name of pilgrimage stop? These are the questions whose answers and solutions hold the path to a place called development.