By Narendra Dhakal
Gorkha, Mar. 10: Baguwa of Bhimsen Thapa Rural Municipality-5 is only 21 kilometres away from the district headquarters. About three kilometres of road from Hospital Chowk to Budhikhola of Ward No. 8 is being upgraded.
The rest of the road had been blacktopped years ago. But passengers in the area are still paying the same bus fare of unpaved road.

"It has been a long time since the road was built and blacktopped, but we have to pay the fare like travelling on an unpaved road," said Kubir Poudel, a local. He has accused everyone of being silent.
Poudel said, "This is so unfair that a public bus charges Rs. 150 on a 21-kilometre route."

Barpak is located at a distance of 58 kilometres from the district headquarters. The road has been blacktopped up to 32 kilometres. In the Pushpa Lal Mid-Hill Road project, only 26 kilometers of road from Masanethanti to Khare and from Gorkha to Barpak of Gorkha Barpak road remain to be blacktopped.

The road is also in the final stage of preparation to be blacktopped. But the passengers are still paying the bus fare equal to that of rough road.
Suman Gurung, a local from Barpak, said, "Even if the road is not paved, the fare has gone up even more."

At present, the fare from Gorkha headquarters to Barpak is Rs. 425, he said.
Similarly, all the Gorkha-Bhachchek roads have been blacktopped. The fare for the 54 km long road is Rs. 360. However, according to the new fare set by Gandaki Province, one has to pay only Rs. 167 to travel on the road.

In particular, Gorkha-Arughat Road, Gorkha-Bhachchek Road, Palungtar-Bhachchek Road, Gorkha-Barpak Road and Gorkha-Namjung Road have been blacktopped in some places. However, government officials said that there has been no fare adjustment since 2074 BS.

"Last year, we collected information and kept record of these roads in the district, then CDO of the district was transferred," said Kamal Kandel of the transport branch under the Infrastructure Development Office. But no decision has been made on fare adjustment, he said.