MUSTANG: The construction of the 10.5-kilometre ring road connecting Thak-Panchgaun in Gharpajhong Rural Municipality has reached its final phase. The project, awarded to Bandana Bhagwati Construction Services six years ago, is nearing completion after six years of delays.
The Infrastructure Development Office initiated the project under the ‘One Election, One Road’ program of the Gandaki Province Ministry of Physical Infrastructure. The aim is to connect the Mustang district headquarters through Thini, Dhumba, Chhairo, Chimang, Marpha, Syang and onward to Jomsom.
To provide road access to rural settlements east of the Kaligandaki River in Gharpajhong, work has progressed on blacktopping the five-kilometre Jomsom–Dhumba section and improving the 5.5-kilometre gravel road from Dhumba to Marpha via Chhairo and Chimang, informed Engineer Ghanashyam Roka Magar, Information Officer at the Infrastructure Development Office.
Despite the initial contract deadline of Magh 2077 BS, Bandana Bhagwati Construction Services repeatedly extended the completion date—now for the seventh time—citing the COVID-19 pandemic, adverse weather conditions and heavy snowfall. These delays slowed the completion of the vital Gharpajhong Ring Road.
According to Information Officer Roka Magar, the total cost of the ring road, which connects wards 1, 2, 4 and 5 of Gharpajhong, stands at Rs 244.574 million.
He stated that the road has now entered its final stage and is expected to be handed over to the road office within the current fiscal year. The project has achieved 93 percent physical progress and 88 percent financial progress so far.
The five-kilometre stretch up to Dhumbatal has already been blacktopped, including the construction of a six-kilometre drainage system. From Dhumbatal to Chhairo and Chimang, a new road track has been opened by cutting through rocky terrain and developing a five-metre-wide gravel road complete with drainage. Ongoing tasks include installing traffic signal poles, cleaning and upgrading drains, and placing safety fences in accident-prone areas.
Once completed, the ring road will significantly improve connectivity for villages such as Thini, Dhumba, Chhairo, and Chimang. Local farmers are expected to benefit through easier transport of apples, fruits, and vegetables to markets, supporting both mobility and economic activity in the region.
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