Postal Highway in the grip of floods: People compelled to commute at risk of life

Even though waist-deep flood water is overflowing on the road, local residents, commuters and drivers are forced to risk their lives to make risky journeys.

The flood in the Lal Bakaiya river on the western side of Fatuwa Bridge under Rajpur Municipality has taken a raging form. People are crossing the road to get daily essentials, medical treatment and emergency work even when the road is inundated.

The Postal Highway is considered to be the lifeline of the Tarai-Madhes.

This section is the shortest and most important road connecting Rautahat with neighboring districts and other local levels. Hundreds of motorcycles, small four-wheelers, ambulances and pedestrians pass through this route every day.

With the onset of the rainy season, this section of the road becomes like an island.

In the absence of any alternative road or diversion in the area, the locals have no other option but to take the risk.

“We have to go to the market, we have to go to the hospital when we are sick, we cannot go hungry at home by closing the road,” said a local passenger. The risk of major accidents has increased on this section of the Postal Highway at any time as the flow and speed of the flood is continuously increasing. There is a high risk of small vehicles being swept away by strong currents.

A team of Armed Police Force and Nepal Police has been deployed in the area to prevent possible loss of life.

Security personnel are keeping a close watch on the flood-affected road sections. According to security sources, the road will be completely closed immediately to avoid accidents if the water level and water level rise further.

According to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology and local administration, the water level is likely to rise further.

The local administration has appealed to the people living along the banks of the Lal Bakaiya River and the passengers using the same route to adopt high alertness and not to travel without any risk.

This problem is not new to the people of Rajpur. Every year, with the onset of monsoon, the Lal Bakaiya river overflows or submerges this section of the Postal Highway. The fate of the government bodies not paying attention to the winter and the people having to suffer in the rainy season has been repeated for years.

Locals and civil society have strongly urged the government to find a long-term solution to this seasonal crisis.

 Local leaders have warned that if permanent structures are not built on time, there could be a major humanitarian disaster in the city any day.