DARCHULA: Naresh Awasthi, a resident of Malikarjun Rural Municipality-5 in Dadakot, Kanchanpur-Darchula, is optimistic that the Mahakali Corridor—a tri-national border route linking Nepal, India, and China up to Tinkar—will unlock new trade opportunities and create substantial employment in the Sudurpaschim Province (Far West).
Awasthi, a longtime educator turned professional farmer, believes the corridor will eventually function as a trilateral trade hub, transforming the Sudurpaschim into a gateway for commerce despite the current lack of formal trade routes with neighboring countries.
He emphasizes that limited connectivity with India has long hindered the region’s economic growth.
“We hope the Mahakali Corridor becomes a milestone not just for the Sudurpaschim but for national economic development,” he said.
“This region is economically stagnant, and the corridor is our only real opportunity. The government should prioritize its completion.”
The corridor is being constructed along the banks of the Mahakali River, extending from Tinkar in Darchula to Brahmadev in Kanchanpur. It is expected to bring transformative changes to the region’s social and economic landscape.
The corridor provides strategic access to key cities in India, known for their industrial activities and population density, while also offering a direct link to the Chinese border in the north.
Local residents anticipate that once completed, the road will significantly shorten travel between Kanchanpur and Darchula.
Madan Chand, ward chair of Malikarjun Rural Municipality-5 in Darchula, noted that the corridor will connect remote settlements along the Mahakali to the national road network, eliminating the need for long detours.
“This will be a major benefit for our people,” he said. “Once operational, it will improve the livelihoods of hill communities and boost local economies.”
Komal Bista, a resident of Lekam Rural Municipality in Darchula, added that extending road access from Brahmadev along the Mahakali River through Dadeldhura, Baitadi, and Darchula will serve as a cornerstone for the development of Sudurpaschim Province and the nation at large.
Once completed, the corridor will feature roads connecting Brahmadev (Kanchanpur), Jogbudha (Dadeldhura), Pancheshwor and Chameliya (Baitadi), and Lali, Uku, Khalanga, Dhari, Hikila, Huti, Dhaulakot, and Sunsera (Darchula) to the Tinkar border crossing.
These roads will enhance economic, social, cultural, tourism, and educational development across the region.
The Mahakali Corridor will also link several important religious destinations, including Siddha Baijnath in Mahendranagar, Parashuramdham in Dadeldhura, and Tripura Sundari, Melauli Bhagwati, and Ninglashaini in Baitadi. In Darchula, the corridor connects to Malikarjun Dham, revered as Nepal’s fourth Dham.
Tourism entrepreneurs believe this religious network will attract more pilgrims and boost religious tourism.
“Only through the Mahakali Corridor can the development of our remote areas begin,” said tourism entrepreneur Jagadish Chandra Bhatta.
“This road will support religious tourism and open new trade routes with China.” He noted that Indian pilgrims already visit the region’s religious sites, and improved access will further increase such tourism.
The Mahakali Corridor Road Project Office is constructing a 334-kilometer route from Brahmadev to Tinkar via Dadeldhura, Baitadi, and Darchula.
According to the Mahakali Highway Project Office, the Nepal Army is also building a 79-kilometer section.
Ramchandra Jaishi, the project’s information officer, reported that 230 kilometers of the track have been opened so far, with 55 kilometers remaining.
The corridor will comprise 11 kilometers in Kanchanpur, 58 kilometers in Dadeldhura, 144 kilometers in Baitadi, and 121 kilometers in Darchula.
As of now, all 11 kilometers in Kanchanpur, 28 kilometers in Dadeldhura, 114 kilometers in Baitadi, and 77 kilometers in Darchula have been opened.
Jaishi also stated that a budget of Rs 415 million has been allocated for the project in the current fiscal year.
Business leaders are hopeful that the completion of the Mahakali Corridor, along with the four-lane concrete bridge over the Mahakali River in Kanchanpur and the Dodhara-Chandani dry port, will drive regional prosperity.
The government estimates that approximately 10 million people across Kanchanpur, Dadeldhura, Baitadi, and Darchula will directly benefit from the corridor.
In addition to boosting trade through the tri-border crossing at Pillar No. 1 on the Taklakot border with China, the corridor is also expected to serve as a new route for pilgrims traveling to Kailash Mansarovar.
Once completed, the Mahakali Corridor will be a key contributor to the economic, social, cultural, touristic, and educational advancement of Sudurpaschim Province.
(Inputs from RSS)
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