Myagdi. Major landslides on the Beni-Jomsom-Korala road section under the Kaligandaki Corridor Road Project have made vehicular travel unsafe and uncomfortable.

The road section is being upgraded with blacktopping in Raghuganga Rural Municipality-2, Siruwari of Myagdi, Khambhitta, Guinthebhir, Rupsechhahara and Sukebagar of Annapurna Rural Municipality-3, Mahabhir of Annapurna-7 and other places.

According to Dhruba Kumar Jha, planning chief of Beni-Jomsom Korala Road Project, landslides have occurred at Siruwari, Guinthebhir, Khamvikta and other places along the Beni-Jomsom road section. He said, “Landslides have been occurring continuously in this area during the year, we have been opening the roads blocked in the landslide-affected areas by installing dozers, but it is not possible to make the road safe in the rainy season until a permanent solution to the landslide.” ’

Although a team of geologists of the landslide-affected area has carried out a detailed study and initiated the process for prevention, the landslide prevention plan has been stuck as no construction company has participated in the contract process in the landslide control and prevention plan.

Last year, the project had allocated Rs 200 million for landslide control and prevention, but the construction company did not participate in the contract. Jha said that the contract process has been forwarded to implement the budget allocated for landslide prevention and control plan in the current fiscal year as well.

There are 10 landslides along the 40-km road section from Beni to Ghas. Despite a detailed study of the landslides in this place, the general public of Raghuganga Rural Municipality, Annapurna Rural Municipality of Myagdi as well as Mustang district and tourists and pilgrims have to take risky journeys every monsoon due to lack of prevention and control work.

Ramesh Purja, ward chair of Annapurna Rural Municipality-3, Dana, said that the road journey has become risky due to the problem of landslides along with the rain. “It is not advisable to travel at night at this time, landslides are causing problems in many places and the journey of Beni-Ghasa section is very risky until the rain stops,” said Ward Chair Purja. Vehicular movement on the Beni-Jomsom road has been affected during the year due to landslides. Landslide control work was not included in the road blacktopping plan as there were no major landslides before the road was expanded. Around 85 per cent physical progress has been made on the Beni-Jomsom road section.

Although the project carried out a detailed study on the risk and prevention of major landslides last year, the prevention work has not yet started. Every year, the problem of landslides has increased in new places on this road section. Myagdi section of the Beni-Jomsom road section, which has been extended through the banks of the Kaligandaki River, has a narrow geography while landslides are increasing in new places due to weak terrain. This year, a new landslide has started falling in Mahabhir.

Myagdi section of beni-Jomsom road has been closed for vehicular traffic since Tuesday. As per the decision of the District Security Committee, Myagdi and Mustang, vehicular movement on the road from Beni to Ghasa has been suspended from 6:00 pm to 5:00 am.

Chief District Officer of Myagdi, Gurudatta Dhakal, said that vehicular movement has been stopped at night as the risk of landslides has increased in many places with the rain and the road has been blocked.