The 46-kilometre Katari–Ghurmi section of the Siddhicharan Lokmarga, which falls under Udayapur’s constituency 2, has deteriorated into a dust-choked and dilapidated track, causing prolonged hardship to passengers, drivers and residents for over a decade.

With its asphalt peeled off and the surface filled with many holes, the road turns muddy during the monsoon and dusty in winter. Hundreds of vehicles ply the road daily, yet local residents say all governments in the past ignored the worsening condition.

Lil Bahadur Khatri of Patnabhanjyang said that the road has remained in disrepair for decades. “Leaders have already begun visiting villages seeking votes,” he said. “They should feel ashamed when they see the state of this road.”

Residents accuse political leaders of using the road as an election tool, making repeated promises before the polls and neglecting it when the election is over. From this constituency, Mohan Bahadur Khatri of the then CPN (Maoist) was elected in 2008, Narayan Bahadur Karki of the Nepali Congress in 2013, Suresh Kumar Rai of the Maoists in 2017, and Ambar Bahadur Rayamajhi of the CPN-UML in 2022. However, voters say no significant upgrade has taken place during any of their tenures.

Basanta Bahadur Thapa of Katari Municipality-8 said locals have lost faith in candidates. “Dust from the road affects nearby settlements very badly,” he said. “Vegetables and crops are covered in dirt and become inedible. Even cattle and fodder are blanketed in dust, leaving livestock sick.”

Health concerns are mounting. Ganga Kumari Thapa, who lives along the roadside, said she has been travelling to Biratnagar and Kathmandu for treatment over the past five years due to lung and stomach problems caused by dust and fumes. “I return home after treatment, but the dust remains the same,” she said. “Where should we go? Who will understand our suffering?”

Drivers operating along the stretch blame government negligence. Jiban Karki, a Bolero driver from Katari, said poor visibility due to dust forces drivers to rely on guesswork. “If we don’t drive, we can’t earn a living. If we do, we risk our lives,” he said. “The potholes and stones make it extremely dangerous.”

Local people have repeatedly staged road blockades demanding an upgrade of the Katari–Ghurmi section. The battered road affects travellers heading from Katari to Khotang, Okhaldhunga, Solukhumbu and various parts of Udayapur. The trucks and large passenger buses often take more than five hours to cross the 46km stretch.

Subas Thakuri, a resident of Tapli Rural Municipality-5, said that the voters are increasingly frustrated lately. “Passengers are forced into risky journeys,” he said. “Leaders who won elections did nothing to upgrade the roads. This time, we must think carefully before casting our votes.”

Transport entrepreneur Navaraj Thakuri, who operates jeeps along the route, described the drive as perilous. “The blacktop laid years ago has completely crumbled,” he said. “A single mistake on the driver’s part may lead to catastrophe.”

Locals also blame heavy tipper trucks transporting limestone for Maruti and Cosmos cement factories along the Katari–Mirchaiya section for further damaging the road.

Although Rs1.09 billion was allocated in the fiscal year 2024/25 for blacktopping the Katari–Ghurmi section under the Siddhicharan Lokmarga project, the contract process could not proceed.

Former lawmaker Ambar Bahadur Rayamajhi blamed the government ministries for the sluggish work and complained that the Ministry of Forests and Environment failed to submit the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report on time, preventing the Ministry of Finance from ensuring funding.

He expressed concern that although there is a possibility of awarding the contract in the current fiscal year, funds may be diverted to rebuild government structures damaged during the Gen Z protests. Rayamajhi urged stakeholders to remain vigilant.

Operational since 2001, the crumbling surface of the Katari-Ghurmi section of Siddhicharan Lokmarg has become a symbol of broken promises—one that continues to haunt candidates every election season.