KANCHANPUR: The Mahakali Corridor, once hailed as the backbone of prosperity and economic transformation for Nepal’s Far Western region, has been left incomplete and nearly abandoned 15 years after its inception.
Initiated with high hopes to connect Kanchanpur, Dadeldhura, Baitadi, and Darchula districts up to the Nepal–China border point near Taklakot, the 413-kilometer road project was expected to directly benefit around 800,000 people. The corridor also holds significant potential for trilateral trade between Nepal, India, and China, and for facilitating pilgrimage routes to Mount Kailash and Mansarovar.
However, the project has been slowed down by procedural hurdles, budget shortages, and government negligence. According to the Mahakali Corridor Road Project Office (Brahmadev–Jhulaghat–Darchula–Tinker Road), only Rs 229.7 million was allocated for the current fiscal year — an amount insufficient even to clear pending contractor payments worth around Rs 1.5 billion.
“With this limited budget, we cannot call new tenders or continue work at the required pace,” said project information officer Ram Chandra Jaishi. “At this rate, it will take several more years to complete the project.”
Out of the 334 km stretch between Brahmadev (Kanchanpur) and Tusarapani (Darchula), track opening for 54 km remains pending — 27 km in Dadeldhura, 9 km in Baitadi, and 18 km in Darchula. So far, only about 5 km has been blacktopped. Although contracts have been awarded for some blacktopping works, contractors have not received payments due to the budget shortfall.
In Darchula, road blacktopping is currently underway in the Malikarjun and Khalanga–Hikila sections. Once completed, the corridor will include 11 km in Kanchanpur, 58 km in Dadeldhura, 144 km in Baitadi, and 121 km in Darchula. The Nepal Army is currently opening track along the 79 km stretch between Tusarapani and Tinker.
Initially estimated to cost Rs 18.16 billion, the project was expected to be completed by fiscal year 2080/81 BS. But due to delays in forest clearance and procedural issues, both cost and completion time have escalated.
Locals’ hopes fading amid delay
Residents along the corridor express deep frustration. Lok Bahadur Thapa Magar, who moved to Kanchanpur from Dadeldhura 15 years ago, said he had been hopeful that the road would change the region’s future.
“When I first heard about the corridor, we were thrilled,” Thapa said. “We thought it would bring schools, hospitals, and trade opportunities. But even after all these years, the road remains incomplete.”
Though track opening has reached his village, travel remains difficult, especially during monsoon when roads become impassable. He said villagers still carry patients to hospitals due to lack of transport access.
Lila Pun Magar, who has lived in the area for over two decades, echoed similar frustration. “We’ve waited 12 years for this road. The track is open, but there’s no progress in blacktopping,” she said. “The government must prioritize this project and complete it soon.”
‘A lifeline for the Far West’
Local entrepreneur Ramesh Nayak described the corridor as the “lifeline” of the Far West, saying it would not only connect remote mountain communities but also boost trade with India and China.
“This road is crucial not just for transportation but for trade and tourism,” Nayak said. “With proper funding, it can transform the economy of this entire region.”
Hotel entrepreneur Jagdish Chandra Bhatt in Kanchanpur added that the road would open new opportunities for religious tourism, linking major temples such as Siddha Vaijnath in Kanchanpur, Parashuramdham in Dadeldhura, Tripurasundari and Ninglashaini in Baitadi, and Malikarjun Dham in Darchula.
“Once the corridor is operational, pilgrims from India visiting Purnagiri can easily reach these sites in Nepal,” Bhatt noted.
Business owners like Naresh Bista also emphasized that the corridor could turn the Far West into a “commercial hub” by improving trade access to neighboring markets.
“So far, the Far West has not been able to benefit economically due to poor connectivity,” Bista said. “Once the corridor opens, economic activities will surge, creating jobs and income opportunities.”
As hopes remain high but progress stagnant, residents and local leaders are urging the federal government to allocate sufficient funds and treat the Mahakali Corridor as a national priority — a project that could finally unlock the development potential of Nepal’s long-neglected Far Western region.
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