Spread the love

By Our Reporter

A task force formed to investigate the bus accident in Simaltaal, Chitwan, has submitted its report to the government blaming debris and road construction for the fatal accident s in which two buses with 65 passengers were pushed into the Trishuli River on July 12.  Three of the passengers survived by swimming and 62 went missing with only 24 bodies recovered.

Coordinator and Joint Secretary of the committee Chhabi Rijal and his team members handed over the report to Minister for Home Affairs Ramesh Lekhak in Singha Durbar on Tuesday.

The report mentions that the accident site had weak geology and an excessive cross slope.

The task force found that the landslide pushed two buses crossing the road into the Trishuli River, exacerbated by the lack of retaining walls along the road.

Coordinator Rijal added that environmental considerations were neglected during the construction of a rural road in the upper region of the highway which impacted the lower area.

The task force held discussions with survivors of the accident, eyewitnesses, the Road Department, the Chitwan District Administration Office, and others.

They emphasised that the families of those who lost their lives in the road accident should not face delays in receiving proper compensation and insurance amounts.

While receiving the report, Minister for Home Affairs Lekhak expressed that the government would formulate necessary policies to reduce accidents in the future. He also assured that the task force’s report would be implemented as suggested.

A landslide that occurred on July 12 on the Narayangadh-Mugling road at Simaltaal, causing two buses—one traveling from Kathmandu to Gaur and the other from Birgunj to Kathmandu—to plunge into the Trishuli River.

The buses have not yet been found, while the bodies of 24 passengers were recovered, with only 19 identified. At least 38 passengers are still missing.