MYAGDI, Nov 10: The initiative to upgrade the Darbang–Muna–Dhorpatan road, which connects the centre of Dhawalagiri Rural Municipality, Muna, in Myagdi, has officially begun.
The project, launched jointly by the Gandaki Province government and the federal government, aims to pave the road linking Darbang — the hub of Malika Rural Municipality — with Muna, the centre of Dhawalagiri Rural Municipality.
According to Gandaki Provincial Assembly member Resham Bahadur Jugjali (Suvin), who was elected from Myagdi 1(B), the construction company contracted through the Infrastructure Development Office has started the first phase of road widening at Machchim, Ward No. 7 of Dhawalagiri Rural Municipality.
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“A total of Rs 929.2 million has been allocated for the upgrade of the Darbang–Muna–Dhorpatan road, which is considered an alternative route to the Baglung section of the Mid-Hill Highway,” he said. “The project will include asphalt paving and surfacing of the Darbang–Dharapani (seven kilometres) and Machchim–Muna (four kilometres) sections.”
Equipment and labour have been mobilised since last week following a joint survey conducted by technical teams from the Infrastructure Development Office and the contractor. Jugjali noted that this is the largest and most financially demanding project in Myagdi under the Gandaki Province government to date.
Excluding administrative expenses, the project was initially estimated to cost Rs 670 million. During the competitive bidding process, a contract was awarded on 11 Ashar 2082 (Nepali calendar) to the construction company that submitted the lowest bid of Rs 528,053,000.
The upgrade is expected to reduce the travel distance between Pokhara and Kathmandu by around 70 kilometres for residents of Mangala, Malika and Dhawalagiri rural municipalities in Myagdi, as well as for those living in Dhorpatan of Baglung and Eastern Rukum.
RSS
