MYAGDI: The Beni-Darwang road, a key route connecting three rural municipalities in western Myagdi to the district headquarters Benibazar, has resumed operation after being repaired following monsoon-induced landslides.
Passenger buses and freight vehicles have started plying the road again after landslide debris was cleared and the road was widened in several areas. According to the Infrastructure Development Office, repair works were carried out at Phaparkhet, Lampata, Panabagar, and Bangepahiro.
Ramji Acharya, supervisor at the office, said the road was restored once the monsoon subsided, making it accessible for large vehicles. Previously, the road had narrowed due to landslides, creating risky and difficult travel conditions.
The 24-kilometer Beni-Darwang road had remained largely impassable since Ashad, impacting access for Dhaulagiri, Malika, and Mangala rural municipalities.
The road also serves residents of Tamankhola in neighboring Baglung district. While previously only jeeps, taxis, microbuses, motorcycles, and tractors could use the road, it has now been made suitable for buses and trucks as well.
Arjun Acharya, an operator at Myagdi Malika Yatayat Pvt. Ltd., confirmed that night bus services between Darwang and Kathmandu have resumed.
The reopening of the road has also eased the transportation of construction materials for four hydropower projects and several infrastructure developments—including roads, buildings, drinking water systems, bridges, transmission lines, and substations—along the Myagdi River.
However, officials caution that long-term landslide prevention measures are still lacking in several sections of the road, which is in the final stages of being upgraded. As a result, transportation services in western Myagdi remain vulnerable during the rainy season.
Comment