The number of road accidents has significantly increased lately as people are compelled to risk their lives in overcrowded vehicles due to the fuel crisis.

Three people were killed in separate accidents in the district within a week, while records also show several other minor accidents.

It has been learnt that overcrowded vehicles were the main reason behind those incidents. Eleven-year-old Jamuna Baredwa of Kashikhanda Municipality, who was traveling in a mini-truck, died on the spot at Dapcha in Kavre. The truck carrying around 30 people veered off the road,

police said.

Sumitra Gautam, 45, of Thulosirubari-5 died in a microbus accident at Pachuka in Dhulikhel-1. She was traveling to Kathmandu from Sindhupalchowk. There

were around 30 people in the microbus.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Raj Kumar KC said those accidents occurred due to the vehicles being overcrowded. “Passengers have been forced to take such risk due to the fuel shortage,” said KC. He, however, added

that they have been requesting vehicle drivers to be cautious since passengers are also seen traveling on the vehicles’ roof.

According to data, public buses along the remote areas of Dapcha, Timal, Dunkharka, Chyamrangbesi, Deupur, Sipali and Budhakhani, including some other areas, are usually seen with overcrowded buses.

Chairman of Helambu Transportation Entrepreneur Committee Rajesh Kumar Shrestha said there are limited numbers of vehicles moving on the road. “There will be more chances of accidents while traveling on overloaded vehicles,” said Shrestha.

Meanwhile, at least 36 people died and more than 50 others were injured in a bus accident at Ramche VDC-3 on the Pasang Lhamu Highway in Rasuwa district on Tuesday.

It has been known that the overloaded passenger bus met an accident due to the poor conditions of the road and reckless driving.

Rasuwa bus accident toll reaches 36

The death toll of Rasuwa bus accident has reached 36 after the death of one more passenger at TU Teaching Hospital in the Capital on Wednesday.

Local administration said 41 others who sustained injuries have been receiving treatment at various hospitals. Likewise, bodies brought to Rasuwa Hospital were handed over to families after their identifications and post-mortem, DSP Abadesh Bista said. Local authorities and security personnel were mobilised to hand over the bodies.

The  bus (Na 3 Kha 5706) belonging to Pasang Lhamu Bus Entrepreneurs’ Committee skidded off the road and fell some 150 metres at Ramche VDC-3 on the Pasang Lhamu Highway on Tuesday. (PR)