MYAGDI: Repair and reconstruction work has been accelerated along several sections of the Beni-Jomsom-Korala road under the Kaligandaki Corridor after floods and landslides caused by heavy rainfall damaged the route.
The 202-kilometre road connects Pang of Kushma Municipality-1 in Parbat district with the Korala border point in China via Myagdi and Mustang. The road was disrupted at 55 locations following heavy rainfall from September 24 to 27, while flooding in the Kaligandaki River damaged or washed away 10 sections.
Tejaswi Sharma, chief of the Beni-Jomsom-Korala Road Project, said preliminary repair work had been completed at all affected sites except Kunauta in Raghuganga Rural Municipality-2 and the bridge approach road at Pokharebagar in Annapurna Rural Municipality.
The Maldhunga-Kunauta and Korala-Pokharebagar sections have been restored for heavy-vehicle traffic.
According to Sharma, landslide debris has been cleared and alternative routes have been constructed at Ratopani, Dhirchyang, Bhirkate, Mahabhir, Tiplyang and Begkhola.
Around 250 metres of the road was washed away at Kunauta. Four excavators and tipper trucks have been deployed to restore the damaged section, while a gabion wall is being constructed at Pokharebagar.
Narendra Subedi, head of the Federal Road Supervision and Monitoring Office in Pokhara, said efforts were underway to reopen the remaining sections by Monday.
The Department of Roads has estimated that around Rs 3 billion will be required to fully reconstruct the flood- and landslide-damaged sections.
The Korala border point is strategically important for Nepal-China trade, particularly as the Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani border points remain closed.
Myagdi Chief District Officer Ganesh Gaire said the government was giving high priority to restoring the road and bringing the border connection back into operation as soon as possible.
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