By Rick M 
Less than a week before Christmas, at least 27 Indian pilgrims died in a bus accident in central Nepal. The tragedy struck on Friday when a vehicle with 43 passengers on board, a tourist bus, swerved off a major highway and fell 150 meters deep into Marsyangdi River with a strong current. The victims are from Maharashtra and were on a group tour of cultural sites in Nepal for ten days when the tragedy happened while they were on their way from Pokhara to Kathmandu.
The event has raised concerns in Nepal and India, and families of victims in Jalgaon, Maharashtra, are waiting to hear the fate of their near and dear ones. With the help of its armed forces and all local executive power numerous resources have been used for the rescue operations, however, there are significant problems here due to the heavily mountainous relief. There were nineteen persons killed on the scene, and some of the others died at the Sidi Bouknadel hospital, which clearly indicates that the accident was severe.
After search and rescue operations are done, help is being offered to the victims and consolation to the families who have lost their loved ones to the tragedy. The Ministry of Civil Aviation and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) & Navy in India have started the operation of search and rescue in the stricken plane and have begun airlifting the injured passengers to the hospital in Kathmandu. It was one of the worst events that have recently occurred in the two communities and brought fear of traveling in the Nepalese mountains.
This tragedy has, therefore, helped raise awareness concerning the risks of Nepal’s roads that are built at notably high altitudes, especially during the monsoon season when there are heavy downpours that greatly influence road conditions. These calls are very important in tourism but very dangerous during extremely bad weather backway. The exact cause of the accident has not been established by the authorities, who have only promised a detailed probe into the causes of the mishap.
The federal incumbent KP Sharma Oli has also joined the mourning activities of the nation donating his condolences to the affected families and assuring to stand beside them in their hour of grief. Sadly, he admitted the seriousness of the case and directed for a study on the safety measures on tourist vehicles in the country. The government has assured the public that it will improve measures toward minimizing such occurrences in future.
The dreaded incident has put a black mark on the ongoing festivals in the Nepalese calendar, like the auspicious festival of Bhai Tika. This festival, which is one of those that aims at promoting unity between brothers and sisters, entails families participating in the acts of putting multicolored tikas on each other as a way of praying for protection and prosperity. It is as if there is a somber overtone of celebration rotating round the nation’s heads as Nepalis make for this day amidst the tragedy.
Emergency services continue to stay on high alert as they remain likely to expect new problems that may occur as a result of the constant monsoon rains. During the ongoing rescue and search efforts, efforts are made to assist all the affected in this calamity and reiterate the determination of the Nepali authorities to protect the lives of both the tourists and the citizens. The result of this sad incident could be long-term; authorities are likely to review some of the policies, safety measures, and procedures with regard to traveling in the area, as well as people’s perception of the risk associated with traveling to the area.
It was a rather tragic accident that once again proved how important more measures need to be taken to save the lives of travelers on roads, especially in the areas described as hard terrains. It is then hoped that many lessons will be learned and brought into practice so that such tragic incidents do not happen again between the two nations. The following days will be decisive as the authorities continue making efforts to offer answers to grieving families and improve security on Nepali picturesque but rather risky mountain roads.