MYAGDI: A landslide at Bhasbhase in Beni Municipality-2 has severely disrupted traffic on the Baglung-Beni road, a critical route connecting Myagdi and Mustang to the national highway network. The road was damaged by erosion from the Kali Gandaki river following heavy rainfall between Sept. 24 and 27.
Since the approach road to the Maldhunga bridge was washed away by the river, vehicles traveling from Baglung, Rukum, and Jajarkot to Pokhara and Kathmandu have been using the Baglung-Beni-Maldhunga alternative route. Local resident Kamal Subedi said that a 100-meter stretch of the road has sunk by two to three meters. He added that vehicles frequently get stuck in the mud, causing hours of traffic congestion and posing significant safety risks due to the narrow passage.
The Road Division Office in Baglung had previously managed groundwater and paved the section during the 2021-2022 fiscal year, but the paved surface has since collapsed. Acting Chief of the District Coordination Committee, Dilkumari Khatri, stated that despite the deployment of equipment and repair efforts by the Road Division, the challenging terrain has made a permanent solution difficult. She noted that even after laying gravel, the road returns to its damaged state the following day, forcing authorities to use bulldozers to tow trapped vehicles.
The landslide also poses a threat to the nearby Khabra village. Khatri mentioned that efforts are underway through the Road Division Office to construct concrete embankments at the confluence of the Kali Gandaki and Myagdi rivers, as well as to stabilize and pave the affected road section to ensure long-term safety.
