75-Km Road Linking Mustang and Dolpa Opens, Boosting Trade and Tourism

A 75-kilometer stretch of road connecting Mustang in Gandaki Province and Dolpa in Karnali Province has officially opened, marking a significant development for internal trade, tourism, and local convenience in these mountainous regions. The newly opened route is part of the Manang-Mustang-Dolpa-Jumla road project initiated by the federal government.

Rinjin Namgyal Gurung, Chair of Varagung Muktikshetra Rural Municipality, confirmed that the road connecting Mustang’s Varagung Muktikshetra and Dolpa’s Charka Tangsong Rural Municipality is nearing completion. The route includes a 40-kilometer section from Jomsom to Eklebhatti, Pakling, Falek, and Sangta, and an additional 35 kilometers stretching from Sangta to the Dolpa border via Yakkharka.

However, there are still some upgrades needed. Approximately 20 kilometers of road require improvements, and four motorable bridges must be built to ensure smooth, regular transportation. One bailey bridge at Sukusamba, on the Dolpa border, is already funded, with Rs 8.5 million allocated by the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development and Transport Management. Proposals for three additional bridges are in progress, according to Gurung.

The construction of this road, initiated in the fiscal year 2075/76 BS, has seen an investment of Rs 220 million from the Road Division Office, Baglung, which opened 56.5 kilometers of the road from Pakling. A road from Dolpa to the Mustang border was also constructed.

This new route provides the shortest connection between Dolpa and the federal capital, Kathmandu. The local community, including tourists, has already begun to see the benefits of the road. Tshering Pasang Gurung, a ward member and resident of Sangta, shared that tourists are now visiting the areas of Sangta and Yakkharka, contributing to local tourism development.

This project is expected to bring transformative changes to the region, improving accessibility, trade, and tourism between the two provinces.