Many parts of the 17-kilometer track of Mailung-Syaphrubesi road that opened on April 13 have been obstructed by landslides.
The Department of Roads will have to again conduct study for detailed project report (DPR) for upgradation due to the landslides. Chief of the Galchhi-Trishuli- -Rasuwagadhi road project Subodh Devkota said work cannot be done as per the study conducted in June due to landslides at many parts.
"There are landslides at many points. Landslides have changed the situation there. This will affect cost. We are, therefore, preparing DPR by again conducting study," Devkota told Setopati.
The Nepal Army (NA) had opened the track in April. There are landslides at many parts of the road as the track was opened by carrying out explosions in the hills. "We aim to complete DPR by mid-October by conducting another study," he added.
The Mailung-Syaphrubesi road has shortened the Kathmandu-Rasuwagadhi route by almost 25 kilometers.
The Betravati-Dhunche-Syaphrubesi section of Pasang Lhamu Highway is 54-kilometer long. There are 35 turns in the uphill stretch from Betravati to Dhunche and the downhill one from there to Syaphrubesi. The road remains obstructed due to the frequent landslides at Ramche and Mulkharka.
The new Betravati-Mailung-Syaphrubesi road is 31 kilometers long. There are not too many turns in the Betravati-Mailung-Syaphrubesi road constructed along the banks of Trihuli river. The road is constructed along the left bank of Trishuli until Mailung from Syaphrubesi and along the right bank from Mailung connected by a 130-meter Bailey bridge at Mailung.
The department has also started to expand the 82-kilometer stretch from Galchhi of Dhading to Rasuwagadhi to two lanes.
The Chinese government has already signed an agreement to expand the 16-kilometer stretch from Syaphrubesi to Rasuwagadhi to two lanes and blacktop it.
This road is not just the shortest road to connect Kathmandu with China but also the shortest to connect India and China across the breadth of Nepal.
This road can connect with India at Thori border point in Chitwan through Galchhi-Muglin-Bharatpur.
China and Nepal last August had upgraded the Rasuwagadhi-Kerung to an international border point.
Rasuwagadhi-Kerung had come into operation as a bilateral border point since December 1, 2014. Nepali and Chinese nationals could cross the point with valid passport and visa until then. Even citizens of other countries can use the point after it was transformed to an international border point.
The Chinese side has already prepared road and other infrastructure from Kerung till Rasuwagadhi but much remains to be done on the Nepali side of the border.
