Kathmandu, July 18: The Chitwan District Administration has urged drivers to strictly follow traffic regulations after a rise in road accidents and traffic congestion along the Narayanghat–Muglin road section, where reckless overtaking has become increasingly common as soon as roads reopen during the monsoon season.
On Sunday morning, 30 people were injured when three vehicles collided after a bus attempted to overtake a truck on the Narayanghat–Muglin highway. The accident also disrupted traffic for some time.
Chief of the Chitwan District Police Office, Superintendent of Police Rameshwar Paudel, said the accident occurred when a bus heading towards Muglin tried to overtake a truck.
According to him, unsafe overtaking has become one of the leading causes of road accidents and traffic congestion on the highway.
He said such overtaking not only increases the risk of accidents but also causes lengthy traffic jams, making it difficult for ambulances and other emergency vehicles to pass and delaying the rescue of accident victims.
“Even in this morning’s accident, rescue operations were affected due to traffic congestion,” he said.
Considering the high risk of floods and landslides during the monsoon, the local administration had temporarily suspended vehicular movement on the Narayanghat–Muglin road and the section of the Prithvi Highway passing through Chitwan from 10:00 p.m. on Saturday.
According to the administration, after the road reopened at 5:30 a.m., drivers hurriedly attempted to overtake other vehicles, resulting in the accident and subsequent traffic congestion.
Chief of the Chitwan District Traffic Police Office, Police Inspector Anil Thapa, said that strict compliance with traffic rules could significantly reduce both road accidents and traffic jams. He added that following traffic regulations directly benefits both drivers and passengers.
Chief District Officer Ganesh Aryal said the nighttime restriction on vehicular movement was necessary because of the heightened risk of floods and landslides during the monsoon. He urged drivers to remain in their designated lanes and avoid overtaking once the roads reopen.
He said that ensuring safe and smooth transportation requires equal cooperation from the administration, drivers, and passengers alike.
Warning that strict legal action would be taken against drivers who violate traffic rules, Aryal urged everyone to fully comply with traffic regulations.
People’s News Monitoring Service.
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