Myagdi. Although the repair work of the Beni-Jomsom-Korala road linking Korlana has reached the final stage, there are challenges in the operation of regular, smooth and safe transportation.

The 202-km Beni-Jomsom-Korala road, which connects India and China via Maldhunga of Parbat in the Kaligandaki corridor to Korala of Mustang via Myagdi, was badly damaged by floods and landslides that occurred from September 22 to 23.

The repair work of the road that has been washed away by landslides and subsidence at 50 different places and swept away by the erosion of the Kaligandaki river at 10 places has reached the final stage. The approach road of the road bridge at Kunauta Clhir of Raghuganga Rural Municipality-2 and Pokhrebagar of Annapurna Rural Municipality has been completed on Thursday evening. There were challenges in the construction of the approach road of Kunauta and Pokhrebagar bridge that were swept away by the floods of Kaligandaki.

Chief of Beni-Jomsom-Korala Road Project, Tejaswi Sharma, said that only vehicles transporting necessary equipment and relief materials could be operated one-way for operation of fuel, ambulance, road, electricity and communication services.

“Although the initial phase of repairs has been carried out, we are yet to clear the landslide, fill up the landslide, adjust the level and construct the crossing at the damaged and eroded site,” he said, adding, “We have prepared an action plan to complete the repair work by Sunday and resume the vehicular movement from Monday.” ”

Kerabari, Lamabagar, Tilkenichhour, Rahupare, Siruwari, Kunauta, Mahavir, Bhirkate, Dhirchyang, Ratopani, Tatopani, Sukebagar, Khambhitta and Khaharekhola areas have suffered the maximum damage.

Narendra Subedi, chief of the Federal Road Supervision Office, Pokhara, said that out of 33 kilometers of the road, the road has been damaged.

“Although the government has made preparations to resume transportation within two weeks of the disruption due to the disruption due to the ongoing Korala border point with China, it will require a lot of investment and infrastructure to restore it in its original condition,” he said, adding that additional Rs 3 billion budget would be required to reconstruct the damaged road in a new design. ”

Subedi, who is also the founder chief of the Beni-Jomsom-Korala road project, said that this year’s floods have caused the biggest damage since the project started. Subedi said that the floods in the Kaligandaki river have increased due to excessive rains, collapse of auxiliary roads, mucking dumped on the river bank by hydropower projects, weak geography, creation of new landslides, and increase in the level of floods in the tributaries.

Chief District Officer of Myagdi, Ganesh Gaire, said that necessary preparations have been made to manage the challenges that might arise due to the increasing pressure of domestic transport during big festivals as well as goods carriers coming to and from Korala checkpoint, exporting apples and potatoes from Mustang and during big festivals like Dashain and Tihar.

More than 500 containers carrying imported goods targeting the Dashain festival from Korala border point have been stranded in different places of Mustang and Myagdi while waiting to reach their destinations.

“A team comprising people’s representatives’ representatives and state-level security officials carried out an on-site inspection on Thursday to manage traffic by prioritizing emergency, transportation, internal transportation and tourist vehicles,” CDO Gaire said. ”

CDO Gaire requested the government to postpone the plan for some days until the condition of the road improves, as the vehicles transporting essential services, internal transport, containers, apples and potatoes to the market should be given priority.

Gandaki State Assembly member Resham Jugjali, Acting Chief of District Coordination Committee Dil Kumari Khatri, Chief District Officer Gaire, Chief of Federal Road Supervision Office Pokhara, Major General Bholanath Thapa, Chief of Western Division of Nepal Army Major General Bholanath Thapa, Gandaki Province Police Chief DIG Dipendra Gharti Chhetri, Brigade Chief of Armed Police Force No. 4 Muktinath Brigade Dipendra Shah, Deputy Superintendent of Police of Myagdi Rajan Karki and district-level security officials monitored the road for resumption of traffic.

CDO Gaire said that a joint meeting of the District Security Committee of Myagdi and Mustang would be held on Friday morning to discuss and prepare an action plan to make the Beni-Jomsom-Korala road systematic and systematic.