Myagdi. The landslide at Phaparkhet on the border of Beni municipality-4 and Mangala rural municipality-2 has affected the Beni-Darwang road linking three local levels of Myagdi district to the district headquarters Beni bazaar.

Direct vehicular movement along the 24-kilometer Beni-Darwang road section has been obstructed every rainy season due to landslides since the road was constructed before 2060 BS. Locals of Tamankhola rural municipality of Baglung also use Beni-Darbang road linking Mangala, Malika and Dhaulagiri rural municipalities with Beni bazaar.

Chakralal Pandey (Raju) of Mangala rural municipality-2 said that locals have been facing problems in commuting, taking patients to hospitals, milk, vegetables, fruits to the market and transportation of daily essentials and construction materials.

“Landslides on the narrow roads can cause injuries and damage to the vehicles,” he said. ’

Three under-construction hydropower projects in Myagdi River, Dandakhet Rahughat substation, transmission line, road, building, drinking water and irrigation projects have also been affected by the landslide. The Myagdi River is below the road and there is a big landslide upstream.

Although the then District Development Committee (DDC) had constructed a concrete wall under the road to prevent the erosion of the Myagdi River, efforts to control landslides on the road have failed and the investment has gone in vain. The Infrastructure Development Office, Myagdi has made arrangements to clear the landslide on the road and operate the transport.

As an alternative to the risky road, a plan has been put forward to construct a bailey bridge linking Mangala rural municipality-3 Pakhher and ward-2 Simalchaur, according to Gandaki State Assembly member Resham Bahadur Jugjali.

“The state government has allocated a budget of Rs one crore in the current fiscal year to install a bailey bridge over Myagdi River as an alternative to the landslide in Phaperkhet”, he said. ’

Jugjali, who was also the Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development and Transport Management, had decided to ask the federal government for a bailey bridge two years ago on the proposal of the provincial government.