8.2 billion rupees have been spent on the Kaligandaki Corridor (Beni-Jomsom-Korla) road under the North-South Trade Route Expansion Project.

The project has spent 82 percent of the budget of the proposed cost estimate of 10.57 billion rupees by 2081/82. Under the national pride Korala road connecting India and China, a 202-kilometer road track from Maludhunga in Parbat to the Nepal-China Koralanaka has been opened.

According to the decision of the Council of Ministers on 12th Mangsir 2073, the Kaligandaki Corridor (Beni-Jomsam-Korala) road was established as a separate project. Under which the project has been continuously upgrading 202 kilometers of roads in Parbat, Myagdi and Mustang sections since 2073/74. The latest revised completion period of the project has been proposed as 2082/83. However, since there is a need to blacktop the road up to the Korala checkpoint, the completion period is certain to be revised again.

Under this Kaligandaki Corridor Road Project, the target is to open 202 kilometers of road tracks, gravel 97 kilometers of roads, blacktop 105 kilometers and construct 19 bridges. According to the target, by 2081/82, the project has already opened 202 kilometers of road tracks, gravel 94 kilometers of roads, blacktop 88 kilometers and 14 bridges have been completed, says Project Chief Tejashwi Sharma.

For the Korala road, the project will have to blacktop 27 kilometers of roads, including 3 kilometers of gravel and 10 kilometers of blacktop from Kagbeni to Chhusang, and a new contract will have to be awarded for the remaining areas. If the (Kagbeni-Korala) road section is also blacktopped under this project, the total cost estimate of the project could be 15 billion more, says Project Chief Sharma. Under which, the target is to upgrade and blacktop the entire 202 kilometers of double lane of the Korala road section and construct the necessary bridges.

In the current fiscal year 2082/83, Rs 681.3 million has been allocated for the Korala road towards the road. The project has spent Rs 237.7 million or 34.88 percent of the allocated budget in the first quarter. Similarly, Rs 14.5 million has been allocated for the construction of strategic road bridges and bridge protection. The project has stated that no financial payment has been made under this heading till the first quarter of the current year.

Similarly, Rs 924.5 million was allocated for the initial capital for this project in the last fiscal year. The budget was revised and the budget was fixed at Rs 938 million. Last year, the financial progress of the Korala road was Rs 999.6 million, while the physical progress was 100 percent, says Project Chief Sharma.

According to the project, 10 kilometers of gravel roads, 30 kilometers of blacktop, one road repair and upgrading, and 6 concrete bridges were completed last year, said project chief Sharma.

The project data shows that a budget of Rs 459.3 million was spent on the national pride Korala road in 2073/74, Rs 1.51 billion in 28 lakhs in 2074/75, Rs 1.31 billion in 2075/76, Rs 902.5 million in 2076/77, Rs 934.9 million in 2077/78, Rs 848.6 million in 2078/79, Rs 571 million in 2079/80, Rs 727.8 million in 2080/81, and Rs 937.7 million in 2081/82.

Landslide prevention work is required on the Maldhunga Beni road section under the Korala road, and a dispute has hindered road construction in the 900-meter Benibazar area of ​​the Maldhunga Beni section, and there is a need to resolve the dispute and open a new contract by changing the road alignment. It seems that the necessary road stabilization and right footpath work are required for landslide prevention in the four-kilometer distance from Beni to Tatopani section. Similarly, there is a challenge to stabilize the road and right footpath work in the 2.5-kilometer area from Tatopani to Jomsom section in Myagdi.