PARBAT, June 21: The Maldhunga-Beni road, a key segment of the Kaligandaki Corridor Project of National Pride linking North to South, will be closed for maintenance from today for 13 days.

The Maldhunga-Beni-Jomsom-Korala Road Project Office has announced the closure of the Maldhunga-Beni-Jomsom-Korala road section from tomorrow until July 4. The closure affects a 5 km stretch from Maldhunga to Farse, with the remaining 7 km to follow in subsequent phases. During this period, traffic will be halted to facilitate road blacktopping.

Following an agreement reached at an all-party meeting held at the District Administration Office, only emergency vehicles, including ambulances, will be permitted on alternative routes. Weather permitting, the blacktopping work is expected to conclude within the 13-day closure period.

The Apex-Khadka-Krishna joint venture signed a Rs 528.6 million agreement with the Department of Roads in March 2021 to upgrade the road. The project involves widening the current six-meter-wide road to nine meters, installing a one-meter-wide drainage system, and paving two lanes over an eight-meter width.