MYAGDI: Blacktopping has begun on the Lasti–Beni stretch of the Maldhunga–Beni road, an important route connecting Myagdi and Mustang to the national highway.
The Beni–Jomsom–Korala Road Project Office under the Kaligandaki Corridor—one of Nepal’s national pride projects linking India and China—started paving the 6.5-kilometer section on Monday.
“Last year, we completed the 5.5-kilometer Maldhunga–Farse section,” engineer Bishnu Chapagain, the project’s information officer, said.
“The construction company has deployed workers and equipment with the aim of finishing the remaining Farse–Beni stretch within this month.”
Of the 13 kilometers between Maldhunga and Beni, several sections have been damaged by landslides, and one kilometer within Parbat’s Beni market area has been excluded from the contract. On Monday, blacktopping was carried out on a 560-meter stretch near Lasti Bazaar and a 250-meter section from Lasti Bridge to the Kerabari landslide area, currently allowing one-way traffic.
To expedite the blacktopping, authorities have arranged an alternative route—Maldhunga–Baglung–Ratnechaur–Beni—for vehicles traveling to Myagdi and Mustang. Myagdi Chief District Officer Badri Prasad Tiwari announced that the Maldhunga–Beni road will remain closed daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for upgradation work.
Local residents, including Baburam Karki of Jaljala Rural Municipality-7, say the blacktopping will significantly reduce travel time, lower transport fares, and eliminate dust and muddy conditions. People’s representatives, entrepreneurs, and stakeholders have long been pushing for faster completion, as the road is vital for residents of Myagdi, Mustang, and Parbat, as well as for tourists and pilgrims.
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