News Summary
Prepared after review.
- The road connecting Bagarphat–Kopre in Ward No. 2 to Dudhekola in Ward No. 3 of Beni Municipality was upgraded after 18 years.
- The Infrastructure Development Office had contracted the road upgrade in Jestha 2081 (May 2024) for NPR 55.9 million.
- The upgrade has reduced travel time from 20 minutes to five minutes, significantly benefiting local residents.
Chaitra 9, Myagdi – The road linking Bagarphat–Kopre in Ward No. 2 of Beni Municipality to Dudhekola in Ward No. 3 has been upgraded after 18 years.
The Bagarphat–Kopre–Dudhekola section of the Handebhir–Bagarphat–Bhakimli road, managed by the Infrastructure Development Office in Myagdi, was widened and improved with better bends, grade correction, drainage, and retaining walls.
Originally opened in 2064 BS (2007-08) as an agricultural road stretching from Beni Bazaar via Handebhir and Bagarphat to Bhakimli, this dirt track saw partial paving two years ago on the section from Handebhir to Bagarphat up to Mangalghat, excluding the cliff area.
With the recent expansion, drainage, retaining walls, and graveling of approximately 2.5 kilometers from Bagarphat to Dudhekola, local residents have gained substantial convenience, according to Chandrabhadur Ghimire of Beni Municipality Ward No. 2.
“The narrow and potholed road posed major problems during the rainy season due to waterlogging and mud,” he said. “With this upgrade, the travel time has dropped from 20 minutes to just five minutes.”
Neeraj Bhandari, a representative of the construction company, reported that except for 390 meters of culvert work, cleaning of drains, and repairs of damaged sections in the Halle Gauda area, 80 percent of the work has been completed.
This project was selected as a multi-year plan under the Gandaki Province Physical Infrastructure Ministry. In Jestha 2078 BS (May 2021), the Infrastructure Development Office signed a contract worth NPR 55.9 million with Machhapuchhre Himalayan JV for the upgrade.
The project implementation was conducted via competitive bidding with a total estimated cost of NPR 100 million. The approximately 2.5-kilometer road from Bagarphat to Dudhekola was widened to eight meters and graveled, easing transportation and reducing travel time, noted Om Bahadur Ghartimagar, a resident of Kopre.
However, 390 meters of road from Dudhekola to Bhakimli remain to be asphalted. Despite the contract’s deadline extending to Chaitra end (mid-April 2024), work has been delayed due to insufficient funds from the provincial government, according to construction businessman Bhandari.
This road connects to Tarakhola and Kathekholas rural municipalities of Baglung district. It is a vital route used by residents of Beni Municipality’s Wards 2, 3, and 4, as well as Wards 3 and 4 of Mangala Rural Municipality, to reach the district headquarters in Beni.
