A boy holds Nepal?s national flag as he watches a peace rally in Kathmandu. (AFP)

Kathmandu, Feb. 20: The weeklong transport blockade being enforced by the Maoist rebels on Nepal?s highways has begun impacting life in Kathmandu valley with prices of essential commodities soaring during the last couple of days.

Residents of the capital, which has remained normal thanks to the huge deployment of armed forces, have begun to feel the pinch of the blockade with essential commodities and vegetables disappearing from the markets.

According to a report, the prices of vegetables and fruits in the valley have begun spiralling. The report quoted vendors and officials at the Kalimati fruits and vegetables market ? the valley?s biggest market ? saying stocks would last for merely a few more days unless the government somehow manages to bring in supplies.

With very few trucks entering the valley, business in the normally busy market has come to a standstill. As a result, idle porters and vendors are whiling away their time playing cards.

The report quoted office-bearers of the Kalimati Vegetable and Fruit Market Committee saying that prices of tomatoes had tripled to Rs 36 per kg. The price of oranges has gone up by Rs 15 per dozen. Similar is the case with the prices of potatoes, onions, peas and chillies.

The report said only 130 tonnes of vegetables and fruit arrived in the market today as against the normal supply of 500 tonnes every day.

That apart, the indefinite economic blockade has led to a shortage of salt in Kathmandu and its adjoining areas. Wholesalers said more than 20 trucks carrying salt are currently stranded on the Indo-Nepal border.

Though the Royal Nepal Army is providing armed escort to the vehicles, no transport company is willing to operate their vehicles on the highways.

The Maoist rebels further contributed to the prevailing fear psychosis among the transporters by torching 15 trucks carrying supplies to the valley yesterday. While most of these trucks were carrying grain, kerosene and other essential commodities, two of them were transporting 60 buffaloes.

The incident occurred in Dhading district, northwest of Kathmandu. The buffaloes were burnt alive. The trucks were headed towards Kathmandu from Bara in southern Nepal near the Indian border when the rebels stopped them on Prithvi Highway.

Official sources said that as against the normal inflow of 1,200 vehicles per day, only 400 vehicles carrying commodities and passengers entered Kathmandu from the Nagdhunga checkpost south of the valley today.

Maoists launched a surprise attack on a police checkpost in Sakhuwa Mahendranagar on the Indo-Nepal border by masquerading as members of a wedding group last evening, killing a police officer and wounding six others.