Maldhunga bridge reopens after 15 days, restoring direct transport to western districts including Baglung

Vehicle movement resumed on Monday at the Maldhunga bridge connecting Baglung and Parbat, which had been blocked for 15 days after floods on the Kaligandaki River washed away its approach road.

Floods on Asoj 11 had washed away the road on the Parbat side of the bridge, cutting off direct transport to western districts including Baglung, Rolpa, Rukum, Jajarkot, Dolpa and Salyan.

Engineer Amar Adhikari said the Road Division Office rebuilt about 35 meters of the approach road using gabion, geo-bag and geo-grid technology. Vehicles began moving from 10am after workers, along with the Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force, worked around the clock on the repair.

Minister for Infrastructure Development Sunil Lamsal said the target of reopening the bridge before Dasain had been met. Located where the Mid-Hill Highway and the Kaligandaki Corridor meet, the bridge links Baglung and eastern Rukum, among other districts, to the national road network.

During the closure, prices of consumer goods had risen in Baglung Bazaar and the hotel business had gone quiet. The flow of tourists heading to Baglung Kalika Temple, Panchakot and Dhorpatan had also declined. With the bridge now open, tourism and trade in the area are expected to pick up again.