Mustang. A total of Rs 8.20 billion has been spent on the construction of the Kaligandaki corridor (Beni-Jomsom-Korala) road under the North-South Trade Corridor Expansion Project in Mustang district.

The project has spent 82 per cent of the total estimated cost of the project till the fiscal year 2081/82 BS which is estimated to be Rs 10.57 billion.

KATHMANDU: The track of the two hundred and two kilometers road from Maludhunga of Parbat to Nepal-China Korala border has been opened under the Korala Road, a national pride project linking India and China. The Kaligandaki Corridor (Beni-Jomsam-Korala) road was established as a separate project as per the decision of the Council of Ministers on November 26, 2016.

The project has been carrying out graded upgradation of 202 kilometres road in Parbat, Myagdi and Mustang since 2073/74 BS. The revised completion period of the project has been proposed for the fiscal year 2082/83. However, it is certain that the completed period will be revised again as there is a need to blacktop the road up to Korala Naka.

Under the project, 202-km track will be opened, 97-km road will be graveled, 105-km will be blacktopped and 19 bridges will be constructed. According to project chief Tejaswi Sharma, the project has opened track of 202 kilometers of road, graveled 94 kilometers of road, blacktopped 88 kilometers and constructed 14 bridges by the fiscal year 2081/82 BS.

The project will have to blacktop 3 km of gravel and 10 km Kagbeni-Chusang road and blacktop 27 km of the road.

According to Sharma, the total cost estimate of the project could be Rs 15 billion if the Kagbeni-Korala road section is blacktopped. According to Sharma, the project has the target of upgrading the entire 202-km double lane of Korala road and blacktopping the road.

A total of Rs 681.3 million has been allocated for the Korala road in the current fiscal year 2082/83. The project has spent Rs 237.77 million or 34.88 per cent of the allocated budget in the first four months of the current fiscal year. Similarly, a budget of Rs 14.5 million has been allocated for the construction of strategic road bridges and conservation of bridges. According to the project, no financial payment has been made till the first quarter of the current year.

Similarly, Rs 92.45 crore was allocated for the initial capital of the project in the last fiscal year. The budget was revised to Rs 93.80 crore. According to Sharma, the financial progress of Korala road was Rs 99.96 crore in the last fiscal year.

According to the project, 10 kilometres gravel road, 30 kilometres of blacktop, repair and up-gradation of one road and six concrete bridges were completed last year. Rs 459.3 million in FY 2073/74, Rs 1.51 billion in FY 2074/75, Rs 1.31 billion in FY 2075/76, Rs 902.25 million in FY 2076/77, Rs 934.9 million in FY 2077/78, Rs 848.6 million in FY 2078/79 and Rs 571 million in FY 2079/80. According to the project, Rs 727.8 million was spent in the fiscal year 2080/81 and Rs 937.77 million in the year 2081/82.

According to the project, landslides should be prevented on 200 meters of Maldhunga Beni road section under Korala road and the construction of road at Beni Bazaar area of nine hundred meters of Maldhunga Beni section has been obstructed due to dispute. The road needs to be stabilized and paved on the right side of the four kilometers stretch from Beni to Tatopani section. Similarly, there is a challenge to maintain the road along the 2.5 kilometers stretch from Tatopani to Jomsom of Myagdi.

Four more bridges need to be constructed—two over Tukuche, Bhurungkhola and Boksi rivulet from Beni to Jomsom. EIA and Detailed Project Report (EIA) and Detailed Project Report (EIA) have been conducted for the 40-km Jomsom-Korala road section from Chusang to Ghami. According to the project, the EIA and DPR of the 50-km Ghamidkhi-Korala road have been completed.