Maldhunga:Direct transportation has been severely disrupted for the past 12 days after flooding washed away the access road to Maldhunga Bridge, the main entry point to Baglung. This disruption has significantly impacted tourism, trade, and the daily lives of local residents.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the flood-fed Kaligandaki River, on September 27, destroyed the access road to the bridge toward Parbat, interrupting the important road connection between Baglung and Parbat. This blockade has also affected the main route to Myagdi and Mustang via Maldhunga, thus impacting Baglung’s tourism industry.
Hotel entrepreneur Angel Shakya noted that the season usually brings a surge of tourists to local hotels, but the absence of a main road has left the area unusually quiet. The lack of road access to Mustang has drastically reduced tourist numbers, leading to significant losses for hotel businesses.
The roadblock at Maldhunga, a crucial junction of the Mid-Hill Highway that connects India and China, has also affected transportation to Baglung and the western region. Travelers and goods are now being rerouted through longer and costlier alternative paths, such as Falebas-Balewa to Baglung and Maldhunga-Beni to Baglung, increasing transport costs and time significantly.
This situation has also affected the prices and supply of daily consumer goods. Gas seller Hari Acharya mentioned that alternative transport routes have added Rs 150 to Rs 170 per cylinder in transport costs, forcing him to raise gas prices by Rs 100. Additionally, the supply of vegetables, food items, and other essential goods in Baglung has been disrupted, affecting daily life and health services as patients needing treatment in Pokhara are forced to take longer routes.
The Road Division Office in Pokhara has accelerated efforts to repair the approximately 30 meters of damaged road before the Dashain festival. Krishna Raj Adhikari, head of the office, stated that work is ongoing around the clock to restore the bridge access and alleviate the supply issues in Baglung. Once operational, the bridge is expected to ease the long-standing disruptions in trade, tourism, and the supply of essential goods.