”More than 70 percent of accidents are caused by speeding. Similarly, the lack of land markings, sidewalks, dividers, and separate lanes for large and small vehicles and pedestrians on blacktop roads has also increased the risk of accidents.”
What you should know
On 11th Poush, an Indian truck (No. UP72AT 3746) heading towards Narayangadh near Jhahari Khola in Gaindakot Municipality-15 of East Nawalparasi hit a scooter (No. Na36PA 573) coming from the opposite direction. The scooter driver was seriously injured in the accident. According to the police, the cause of the accident was non-compliance with lane discipline.
On 29th Magh, a Scorpio jeep (No. Ba21Cha 5168) heading towards Rajahar from Kawasoti along the East-West Highway in Devchuli Municipality-14 of East Nawalparasi hit a bicycle carrying 13-year-old Rejan Dhital and 14-year-old Ripson Sunar. They were hit by the Scorpio jeep while crossing the road. Among the injured, Ripson Sunar died at the New Medical College, Chitwan.
These are just representative incidents. Accidents have been happening on this road section almost daily for some time now. After the expansion, the accident rate on the Butwal-Narayangadh section of the East-West Highway has increased dramatically due to speeding and non-compliance with lane discipline. Now, except for Daunne, most of the sections of the Butwal-Narayangadh road section have been blacktopped. The road accident rate is increasing as passengers and drivers, who have been traveling safely on dusty and potholed roads for years, do not limit their speed on wide and blacktopped roads.
More than 400 accidents in eight months
In the fiscal year 2080/81, 46 people lost their lives and 90 were injured in 135 accidents in East Nawalparasi, according to the District Traffic Police Office. During this period, the Butwal-Narayangadh section was in the process of expansion, so it was in a dilapidated and dilapidated condition.
As of 15 Falgun of the fiscal year 2081/82, 74 accidents occurred in East Nawalparasi, in which 23 people died and 114 were injured. In 80 accidents in the 8 months of the current fiscal year (up to 15 Falgun), 41 people have died and 86 have been injured. This confirms the increase in the accident rate.
In 2081/82, 46 people were killed and 605 people were injured in 378 accidents in West Nawalparasi. In the 349 accidents in the eight months of the current fiscal year, 26 people died and 575 people were injured. With only 5 months left to go in the fiscal year, the accident figures for the previous fiscal year are approaching.
‘The road has been expanded. Earlier, accidents used to occur due to potholes, dust and mud. Drivers used to drive cautiously, saying that the road condition was not good.’ Uttam Lamichhane of Kawasoti said, ‘Now the road is smooth. The speed of vehicles on wide roads is also high, pedestrians are not sure where to cross the road, and accidents have increased due to the lack of traffic signs due to the indiscriminate use of lanes.'
Stakeholders say that accidents have increased mainly in markets such as Gaindakot, Amarapuri, Rajahar, Daldale, Kawasoti, Chormara, Dumkibas, Bardaghat, Bhumahi, Sunwal, Khairhani, and Butwal on the Butwal-Narayangadh road section, due to the lack of zebra crossings and lack of public awareness about lanes.
Although road safety arrangements should be made during the road expansion, the construction and government sides have not paid attention to it. According to road safety expert Sudip Poudel, both the contractor and the government sides are required to place informative signs at the construction site, provide advance notice of road closures, and provide construction information, but they are not doing so. Poudel said, 'Just because the road is being expanded, it does not mean that traffic rules do not need to be followed. The administration should strictly enforce road safety rules.'
Drivers who were forced to drive slowly due to the dilapidated roads are now driving at uncontrollable speeds as soon as they find a wide road. Despite the expansion of the road, drivers do not follow lane discipline and overtake in the middle of the road, causing collisions with vehicles coming from the opposite direction.
Despite being blacktopped, many places do not have 'road markings', traffic signs and 'dividers'. Accidents often occur when vehicles traveling at high speeds are unable to 'brake' in time due to loose pavement.
This is why the accident rate is increasing 
Driver Ganesh Bishwakarma says that many accidents occur at night due to lack of advance notice of where road construction is taking place. ‘When going to Butwal in the afternoon, the road that is fine is closed when returning, at night, you have to cross suddenly, and when you have to go to the other lane, there is a risk of accidents due to uncontrolled movement.’ Bishwakarma said, ‘There is also a trend of not keeping traffic signs, crossing the road haphazardly and not following lane discipline. However, everyone blames only the drivers.’
Except for Daunne, the road in other areas of Butwal-Narayangadh has been blacktopped. According to the project, about 80 percent of the work has been completed. Even though the expansion is underway, no attention has been paid to road safety. According to Shiva Khanal, Information Officer of the Eastern Section of the Road Expansion Project, the contractor side has been made aware of the need to follow all safety rules as per the agreement and improvements have been made after errors were found in some places.
In the main market area, no one seems to be following traffic rules. People are seen walking in the opposite lane, thinking they are lazy to go to the crossing point, and crossing the road haphazardly. Although traffic signs have been placed at some places for road safety, the risk of accidents has increased as the general public does not follow the rules, said Kushal Kumar Bartaula, chief of the District Traffic Police Office, East Nawalparasi. “More than 70 percent of the traffic accidents here are caused by speeding,” Bartaula said. “The risk of accidents has also increased due to the lack of land markings, sidewalks, dividers, and separate lanes for large and small vehicles and pedestrians on the Kalopatra road.”
