KATHMANDU: The Kaligandaki Corridor, which was blocked by floods and landslides, is expected to take at least another week to reopen.
Although landslides have been cleared at several locations, some sections were washed away and require new road tracks and retaining walls. This has delayed the reopening of the road.
Tejaswi Sharma, chief of the Kaligandaki Corridor (Beni-Jomsom-Korala) Road Project, said up to 15 machines are being deployed daily to clear the road.
According to Sharma, the Maladhunga-Korala section was blocked at 55 locations due to floods and landslides. The Maladhunga-Beni and Ghasa-Korala sections were reopened within two to three days. However, around 18 km of the road in Myagdi remains blocked.
The entire corridor cannot be brought back into operation until the remaining section is cleared, he said.
Eight locations in Myagdi have suffered washouts of around 100 to 250 meters. Workers are carrying out slope cutting, building new road tracks and constructing gabion walls at these locations.
“We had blockages at 55 locations along the Maladhunga-Beni-Jomsom-Korala section. We reopened the Maladhunga-Beni and Ghasa-Korala sections within two to three days,” Sharma told MeroAuto. “The section from lower Baitadi to Pokharebagar in Myagdi is still closed. Work is progressing rapidly, and we are targeting to reopen it by Saturday.”
Construction of the approach to the bridge connecting Pokhara Bagar and Bhurung is also progressing. Around three meters of gabion wall has already been constructed, according to Sharma. He said the bridge approach is expected to be completed along with the road.
The closure of the Kaligandaki Corridor for around a week has also affected goods brought in for the Dashain season. Electric vehicles that have already completed customs clearance, along with clothing, fruits and other goods, remain stranded in Mustang.
After the Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani border points were closed, traders had started importing goods through Korala as an alternative route. However, the floods and landslides that hit the Kaligandaki Corridor last week have disrupted this route as well.
Traders are now facing difficulties during the peak festive season. Some have been unable to sell products due to a lack of stock, while others have had to ask customers to wait. At the same time, the goods stuck along the route are increasing transportation and holding costs.
