NEW DELHI: The international bus service connecting Delhi and Kathmandu remains operational despite the devastating flash floods in Nepal, with the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) keeping a close watch on the situation, a senior transport department official said on Wednesday.“There is no suspension of bus service between the two countries, and operations are going on smoothly. Further decisions will be taken depending on the situation,” the official told news agency PTI.The DTC operates the Delhi-Kathmandu-Delhi service three days a week from the Ambedkar Stadium Terminal near Delhi Gate. The service, introduced by the Delhi government in 2014, currently runs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.Buses leave Delhi at 10am and travel through Uttar Pradesh before entering Nepal through the Sonauli check-post near Gorakhpur.The decision to continue the service comes as Nepal grapples with the aftermath of a torrential flash flood that swept through several districts on Wednesday. At least 72 people have died and nearly 500 people, including 133 Indians, are missing, PTI reported.The flash flood originated in Tibet and surged through the Bhote Koshi River at around 9am local time. The disaster affected Rasuwa and Dhading districts along the Tibet border before spreading to Dhading, Nuwakot and Chitawan, according to officials.At least four permanent bridges and several temporary bridges were damaged, while at least a dozen hydropower projects were also hit.The Kathmandu Post, citing Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), reported that 72 bodies had been recovered from seven districts so far.The DTC official said the Delhi government was monitoring developments closely and would take further decisions based on how the situation evolves.“We are monitoring the situation in Nepal,” the official said, adding that there was currently no disruption to the international bus operation, PTI reported.(With agency inputs)
