CHITWAN: Even after a year, the 39 passengers of the bus that fell from Simaltal Lake into Trishuli have still not been found.

Thirty-nine passengers are still missing among the passengers of the two buses that fell into Trishuli due to a landslide on the night of Ashad 11 last year. There were 62 passengers in the two buses at Simaltal on the Narayangadh-Muglin road section. Three of them were found alive, 20 bodies were found, while the rest are still missing.

Both buses have not been found yet. According to Chief Superintendent of Police Govinda Puri of the District Police Office, Chitwan, there were 26 passengers in the Angels Deluxe bus with registration number Ba Pra 03-006 Kha 1516. Of them, 10 were found dead and 16 others are still missing.

There were seven Indian passengers on the bus. Two of them were found dead, while the remaining five Indian nationals are still missing.

Similarly, there were 36 passengers in the Ganapati Deluxe with the number Ba Pra 03-001 Kha 2495. Of them, three are alive, 10 bodies have been found and 23 are still missing, he informed. Four of them were Indians. Three were found dead and one is missing.

The Angel Deluxe bus, which was going from Birgunj to Kathmandu, and the Bagmati Ganapati Deluxe bus, which was going from Kathmandu to Gaur in Rautahat, were thrown into the Trishuli by a landslide. At that time, since only Nepali divers could not do it, divers were also called in from abroad. But even the divers were unable to find the missing passengers and the bus.

Despite a long search operation after the Trishuli floods, the missing passengers and the bus have not yet been found. Of the 20 dead bodies found at that time, some were found in Trishuli, others in various areas along the Narayani River, and two bodies were found in India.

The Ministry of Home Affairs had immediately formed a task force under the coordination of Joint Secretary Chhabi Rijal to conduct a detailed study of the incident. Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak had signed his first decision to form the task force. The task force, while submitting its report, also advised that the concerned agencies should take responsible initiatives for effective management of disaster management and road accident reduction.

While receiving the report of the task force, Home Minister Lekhak expressed concern over the long-standing loss of life and property due to road accidents. Expressing his commitment to implement the report literally, Home Minister Lekhak said that the ministry would also implement the suggestions given by the task force and would also instruct other bodies to implement them.

The task force had concluded that the main cause of the Simaltal accident was the flash flood that swept away two buses. The report states that the local municipality had dug a rural road in the steep and hilly area without proper engineering design while constructing a road at the accident site.

The report stated that the accident site had weak terrain and a steep cross slope. The report states that due to the lack of any retaining wall on the road, a landslide occurred during the rainy season and pushed two buses crossing the road into the Trishuli River.

During the study, discussions were held with accident survivors, eyewitnesses, the Road Department, the Chitwan Administration Office, and others. The report has suggested that appropriate compensation and insurance payments should not be delayed for the families of those who died in road accidents. It was asked to search for the 39 missing people as much as possible.