BAGLUNG: Landslides have been a persistent problem along the Kaligandaki Corridor, especially in the Dablyang area of Baglung Municipality-10, where disruptions have occurred every monsoon for the past five years.
This year, a major landslide struck Kalakhola Bagar in Baglung Municipality-13, damaging a 50-meter section of the road and further highlighting the corridor’s vulnerability.
The Gaindakot–Ramdi–Maldhunga section of the Kaligandaki Corridor—a national pride project—has seen frequent landslides, particularly in areas where the road was carved through large rock formations.
According to Utsav Basyal, engineer at the Project Office in Palpa, more than a dozen landslide-prone sites have been identified along the 240-kilometer stretch.
Of the total 293 kilometers under the project, which includes 53 kilometers of the Kaligandaki Highway, 80% physical and 70% financial progress has been achieved. However, the landslides have become a serious obstacle, especially in the final stages of the project. Basyal estimates that around Rs 800 million will be required solely for landslide prevention and repairs.
“Landslides have washed away the roadbed at three locations in Baglung,” said Engineer Basyal. “Even though some sections have been blacktopped, continuous rockfall and landslides along steep cliffs have hindered progress. Restoration to original condition will be costly, and for now, efforts are focused on clearing debris.”
In the Baglung section of the corridor—covering 34.70 kilometers—24 kilometers between Balewa and Jaimini have been blacktopped. The remaining 10 kilometers from Balewa to Maldhunga are still under construction, with only 56% physical progress achieved.
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