Key Takeaways:
- 400 litres of diesel transported across the damaged road by drone
- 250-metre road section was washed away by the Kali Gandaki flood
- Around 20 excavators and hundreds of workers are carrying out repairs
- Reopening the Korala route is vital for trade, tourism and apple transport
Drone flights have been used to transport diesel across a flood-damaged section of the Beni-Jomsom-Korala road in Myagdi, enabling repair crews to continue restoration work on the route leading to Nepal's only currently operational trade crossing with China.
The road has remained blocked for about a week after flooding in the Kali Gandaki River swept away around 250 metres of roadway at Kunauta in Raghuganga Rural Municipality-2. The damaged stretch has also made pedestrian movement difficult.
According to Tejaswi Sharma, chief of the Beni-Jomsom-Korala Road Project, diesel was transported by vehicle from Beni to Kunauta before being flown across the washed-out section by drone.
"As it was not possible to carry it by people, we used a drone," Sharma said. "Four hundred litres of diesel was carried across the damaged section in six flights."
The fuel was needed to keep heavy equipment operating as crews struggled to move supplies through the disrupted corridor.
After being transported across the damaged road section, the diesel was carried onwards to Pokharebagar, the administrative centre of Annapurna Rural Municipality, with assistance from the Nepal Army.
Major Rakesh Basnet of Shatrubhanjan Gulma said technical personnel from Kathmandu assisted with the drone operation. He said each flight carried up to 120 litres of diesel to Kunauta.
The Nepal Army has previously used drones to transport relief materials to disaster-hit areas, including flood-affected communities in Rasuwa. On Saturday, army personnel and volunteers also helped carry diesel from Tilkenichaur in Raghuganga-3 to Baisari.
Road restoration work is continuing at multiple locations damaged by flooding and erosion. Around 20 excavators and hundreds of workers have been deployed at Pokharebagar, Ratopani, Ghirchyang, Mahabhir, Bhirkate, Rahupare and Tilkenichaur.
Authorities are also repairing the approach road to the Pokharebagar bridge. Sharma said the Department of Roads and construction companies are working simultaneously to reopen the blocked route as soon as possible.
The road linking Maldhunga in Parbat to the Korala border point with China stretches 202 kilometres. Officials said around 12 kilometres of damaged road remain to be repaired in the Kunauta-Pokharebagar section.
Light vehicles have already resumed one-way movement on other repaired sections. Narendra Subedi, chief of the Federal Road Supervision Office in Pokhara, said the remaining work is targeted for completion within this week.
The urgency to restore the road has increased as the Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani border crossings remain closed, making Korala a critical route for Nepal-China trade.
Pressure is also mounting with the Mustang apple marketing season under way, livestock transport for Dashain and Tihar approaching, and the autumn tourism season beginning across the region.
The reopening of the Korala corridor is expected to be crucial for cross-border trade, seasonal agricultural shipments and tourism activities in Mustang and surrounding districts.
(With inputs from RSS)
