Karnali Corridor road closed indefinitely over Bajura-Humla border dispute

The road section of the Karnali Corridor at Dhulachaur, the center of Himali Rural Municipality in Bajura, has been closed indefinitely once again.

The road closure primarily affects transportation vehicles traveling from Bajura to Humla. Locals have imposed the indefinite road blockade from noon on Sunday, citing no response to their demands during the 24-hour ultimatum given last Friday afternoon regarding the Bajura-Humla border dispute.

The Himali Youth Club has enforced the blockade, halting the operation of vehicles heading to Humla via Dhulachaur. They have put forward a five-point demand.

The demands include conducting an on-site investigation of the incident that occurred in the Lampata area on Jestha 5, bringing those involved in incidents in Khaptad Rural Municipality-2 and 3 and Sarkegad Rural Municipality-2 under legal jurisdiction, compensating locals and tourists for looted personal and public property, ensuring the perpetrators bear the medical expenses for those severely beaten in the Lampata incident, and recovering damages for materials destroyed during the construction of the police post building in Chyachaur to resume construction immediately.

Due to a clash between locals of Bajura and Humla over the Lampata-Chyachaur border dispute, four people were injured, leading to a transportation halt from Tuesday to Thursday last week by Dhulachaur locals. The club expressed condolences for those who lost their lives in the incident and stated that they were compelled to close the Karnali Highway to demand strict action against the guilty, justice for the victims, and to draw the state’s attention.

A formal notice has been sent to the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the Karnali Province Government, the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers, and the District Administration Offices of Bajura and Humla.

Locals complain that repeated neglect of the grievances of people in remote areas has forced them to resort to road blockades as a form of protest. They warn that if the state does not address the victims’ demands with sensitivity in time, the lives of people in the Karnali region could be further affected.