Surkhet/kalikot, July 9 -- The Karnali Highway has remained the deadliest road in the province despite years of repairs, repeated safety interventions and millions of rupees spent on maintenance. Crashes continue to claim lives at an alarming rate as poor road conditions, hazardous terrain, ageing vehicles and weak traffic discipline combine to make the highway a persistent death trap. Police data show the highway accounts for nearly 56 percent of all road accidents recorded across the province.

The latest tragedy came last week when a passenger minibus travelling from Surkhet to Raskot in Kalikot plunged into the Karnali river from the highway at Sangetada in Chamunda Bindrasaini Municipality-7 of Dailekh.

One person was found dead at ...