MYAGDI, Oct 24: The reconstruction of the Beni-Darbang-Muna road in Myagdi, damaged by floods, landslides and river erosion, is estimated to cost around Rs 70 million.
The road, which connects the western Myagdi municipalities of Mangala, Malika and Dhaulagiri to the district headquarters, Beni, suffered extensive damage following continuous rainfall from September 23 to 27.
According to the Infrastructure Development Office in Myagdi, around 22 locations along the road from Beni to Muna, the administrative center of Dhaulagiri Municipality, were damaged.
Engineer Mohan Ruwali of the office said floods, landslides and river erosion had washed away sections of the road and damaged gabion walls, retaining walls and paved surfaces.
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At least 15 locations between Beni and Panabagar in Mangala Rural Municipality-2 suffered damage from landslides of varying sizes, while river erosion caused the road to collapse at two locations. The preliminary estimate for repairing road infrastructure along this section alone stands at Rs 30 million to Rs 40 million, he said.
At Balute in Malika Rural Municipality-6, erosion by the Myagdi River has washed away around 100 meters of the blacktopped road. Four landslide sites between Panabagar and Darbang have also damaged the road, disrupting direct transportation between Beni and Muna.
Following extensive damage to the road between Balute and Tolabang, vehicles have been diverted from the Dukhukhola Bridge, near the boundary of Mangala and Malika rural municipalities, through Dukhubensi to Tolabang.
Senior Divisional Engineer Rajesh Ulek of the Infrastructure Development Office said nearly 100 meters of road at Balute had collapsed due to river erosion, making regular traffic difficult. Walking along the damaged section is also risky, he said, adding that a permanent retaining wall would need to be built along the riverbank to restore the road.
Ulek said reconstruction of the Beni-Panabagar section was estimated to cost Rs 46.25 million, while repairs to the Balute section of the Panabagar-Darbang road would cost Rs 22.74 million.
The provincial government has allocated Rs 2.5 million to reconstruct the damaged road at Balute, and work is scheduled to begin after Dashain, he said.
The office said landslides had been cleared and traffic was currently operating from Beni to the Dukhukhola Bridge before continuing along an alternative route through Tolabang, Darbang and Muna.
Of the 24-kilometer road from Beni to Darbang, 16.4 kilometers is paved. The 18-kilometer Darbang-Muna section along the Dharapani-Jhindada route is still under construction, with only six kilometers remaining to be completed.
The Beni-Darbang-Muna-Jaljala-Dhorpatan road, considered an alternative route to the Baglung section of the Mid-Hill Highway, is an important transport link for residents of western Myagdi.
Last winter, a road connecting Muna to Dhorpatan Valley via Khoriya, Mareni, Jaljala and Gurjaghat was opened.
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