RASUWA, June 23: The Mailung-Syafrubesi road connecting Nepal with China is unlikely to come into operation this year because major work is yet to be completed.
“As only the track has been opened, allowing vehicles to use the road is could increase road accidents and affect ongoing road construction. Hence, the road won’t be open for the time being,” Subodh Kumar Devkota, chief of Mailung-Syafrubesi road section said.
While the road had come into operation for a while, monsoon induced landslides have obstructed the road in four places. “As the track has been recently opened, there’s high chances of more landslides and accidents,” Devkota said adding that landslides had occurred if four places between Mailung and Syafrubesi.
The road section, shortest route to China border from Kathmandu came into operation on April 14 after the completion of the 17-kilometer section of road between Mailung and Syafrubesi. A team of Nepal Army had been assigned the work to build the road in May, 2015 after the earthquake.
62 percent construction of Galchhi-Mailung road completed
Before the completion of this road, the distance between Kalikasthan to Syafrubesi via Dhunche was 54 kilometers. But now, the distance has been cut short to 29 kilometers.
Similarly, another remarkable feature of the road is the absence of turnings. While there are several turnings in the Pasang-Lamhu Highway, the lack of such turnings in the new road is going to be a relief for all.
The distance between Kathmandu to Galchi is 44 kilometers. From Galchi to Battar is 22 kilometers and from Battar to Betrawati is 11 kilometers. From Betrawati to Mailung it is 12 kilometers and then from Mailung to Syafrubesi is 16 kilometers.
The total distance from Kathmandu to Rasuwagadhi via Dhunche is 145 kilometers but the new route via Mailung is only 122 kilometers.
“It is both shorter and more comfortable,” said Major KC. “There are 35 turnings in the old route,” he added.
