April 18, Myagdi – Local residents in Annapurna Rural Municipality-6 of Myagdi have repaired the road section connecting the tourist site Ghodepani to Luliyaghumti through volunteer labor, facilitating smoother transportation. The repair initiative was launched after a rise in accidents in the Luliyaghumti area along the Pokrebagar-Ghodepani road.
A total of 80 residents from Pokrebagar, Kurmuni, Hallekhark, Birouta, Bhuvanithan, and Ghargau contributed two days of labor for the repairs, according to Ram Krishna Khadka, president of the Pokrebagar Youth Club. The Annapurna Rural Municipality provided wire mesh used to construct a 13 cubic meter retaining wall, while approximately 30 meters of stones were placed on the uphill curves.
Following the repairs, vehicles have been able to operate smoothly on the road, Khadka said. The volunteer labor campaign was coordinated this week by Ward Chair Ram Bahadur Khadka, community leaders Rajaram Baruwal, Bipin Baruwal, and Ram Krishna Khadka. During the repair work, stone transportation, refreshments, and dozer operations were supported with 50,000 NPR cash from Muktinath Cable Car Pvt. Ltd. and material donations from other benefactors.
Both locals and tourists had been facing difficulties due to deteriorating road conditions and landslides in the Luliyaghumti and Hallekhark areas. Local entrepreneur Shiv Khadka explained that landslide-induced narrowing of the road and the inability to properly adjust its grade and curves made vehicle ascent challenging, resulting in frequent stalls and accidents.
Ward Chair Ram Bahadur Khadka shared that delays in implementation of the federally budgeted road improvement plan increased risks, prompting the community to mobilize a volunteer labor effort for temporary repairs. “Delays by the Local Infrastructure Development Office in Pokhara in addressing the Luliyaghumti and Hallekhark road repairs have increased accident risks and suffering,” he said. “After persistent demands from local representatives, the office finally allocated a budget of 30 million NPR on Thursday and called for contract bids for the project.”
