Tragic School Bus Accident in Pokhara Claims Five Lives
Fatal Incident in Pokhara
Representational image.
Kathmandu, Oct 9: A tragic accident occurred early Friday morning in Pokhara, Nepal, resulting in the deaths of at least five individuals when a school bus veered off the road, as reported by a senior police official.
The bus, operated by Kalika English Boarding School, lost control and skidded off the road at Okhleko Bhir in Ward No. 28 of Pokhara Metropolitan City around 6:20 a.m., according to local authorities.
Superintendent of Police Naveen Karki, head of the District Police Office in Kaski, confirmed, “At least five fatalities have been reported.” He noted that there were 17 students, one additional passenger, and the driver aboard at the time of the incident.
The exact cause of the accident remains unclear, as police continue their investigation.
Kaski's Chief District Officer, Kuman Singh Gurung, mentioned that the bus was primarily transporting Grade 10 students heading to tuition classes when the mishap occurred.
In recent years, Nepal has seen a troubling increase in road accidents, coinciding with a rise in vehicle numbers. A decade ago, the Nepal Traffic Police recorded 4,999 road accidents.
In the fiscal year 2024-25, the nation reported 7,669 road accidents, leading to 1,900 fatalities, according to official statistics.
Among these incidents, 278 were categorized as serious. The implications of road safety extend beyond human loss, significantly affecting the economy.
A World Bank report highlighted that the economic burden of road traffic injuries in Nepal has tripled since 2007, now accounting for 1.5 percent of the country's gross national product. Road accidents disproportionately affect the impoverished population.
Over 70 percent of road deaths in Nepal involve vulnerable users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists, as stated by the World Bank. In response to the escalating number of accidents, the Nepali government has proposed the Road Safety Bill in the House of Representatives. This legislation aims to enhance coordination among various agencies, prevent and mitigate road accidents, and reduce both human and economic losses associated with such incidents.
The bill outlines measures for institutional frameworks for road safety, the establishment of provincial and local road safety committees, improvements in road infrastructure, vehicle safety standards, speed regulations, user safety education, accident response, and compensation mechanisms.