The remote Karnali region is coming closer to the capital, as it is connected with a direct bus service from Jumla – a far western district – with Kathmandu.
Karnali Transport Service started the direct bus service from today from Jumla of Karnali to Kathmandu from today, on the occasion of Loktantra Day.
Assistant Chief District Officer Bishnu Prasad Neupane flagged off the direct bus service today morning in Jumla. “The people of Karnali region are connected with the capital city from today,” he said inaugurating the bus service.
“Today is the happiest day for the least connected people of Karnali region,” he said, thanking the Karnali Transport Service for operating the direct bus service to and from the capital. “Today marks the beginning of direct bus services to Kathmandu that was only connected through air route earlier.”
A bus carrying eight passengers started its maiden journey to Kathmandu from Jumla today morning at 6. It will take 36 hours to cross a distance of about 830 kilometers from Jumla to Kathmandu. The bus charges Rs 2,850 for a passenger.
The direct bus service is expected free movement of people and goods to and from Kathmandu, as earlier it was not linked with road network.
Earlier, Karnali people had to fly to Nepalgunj first to fly to Kathmandu making the journey expensive, and the region poorly connected with the centre.
Local leaders of different political parties, representatives of civil society and the transport entrepreneurs – speaking on the occasion – expressed happiness that the Karnali region is no far from capital city now. Connectivity is still a problem in the far western districts due to lack of road network. The government has planned to connect all the 75 district headquarters with Kathmandu, but three districts are still not linked with the road network with Kathmandu.