Vehicles have reached Dumling village along the Darchula-Tinkar road section of the Mahakali corridor for the first time after the Nepali Army opened a 12-kilometre track in ward 2 of Byans Rural Municipality.

Small vehicles reached the village on Saturday as the army continued road upgrade work in the area. Jeeps and tractor trailers carrying construction materials also entered the village following the opening of the track.

The road section being built by the army starts from Tusarpani in ward 3 of Byans Rural Municipality. Dumling lies about 12 kilometres from the starting point. Although the army has opened more than 22 kilometres of passage from Tusarpani, officials said the road is currently motorable only up to Dumling.

Bordering China, the Byans region is considered one of the most geographically difficult areas in Darchula district. For decades, local residents relied solely on narrow foot trails for travel and transport.

Locals said the arrival of vehicles in Dumling has raised hopes of improved living conditions in the remote mountainous region.

Dhiran Singh Budhathoki, ward 2 chair of the rural municipality, said residents were overjoyed after Dumling was connected to the road network.

“Vehicles have now reached the Tallo Dumling Ghatta area. This is a major achievement for people of the Byans region who have waited decades for road access,” Budhathoki said.

He added that the road will make it easier to transport daily essentials and construction materials, while also improving access to health care, education and other services.

Transportation resumed after the completion of the 12-kilometre stretch from the zero point at Tusarpani to Dumling under the Tusarpani-Tinkar road project, which is part of the 413-km Mahakali Corridor.

According to the army, track opening work has so far been completed on 22.15 kilometres of the total 79-kilometre Tusarpani-Tinkar road project.

The strategically important road is expected to connect remote Himalayan settlements and ease long-standing transportation problems in the Byans region. Locals believe the road will significantly improve people’s access to markets and basic services.

The army started the construction work from the fiscal year 2020-21. Army officials said the work is progressing under difficult geographical conditions across steep Himalayan terrain and rocky cliffs.

Areas where track opening and upgrading work have been completed include Mal, Kothedhar, Kalju, Atungti, Tambaku and Dumling-Tusarpani stretch in ward 3 of Byans. Work on the remaining sections is ongoing.

Similarly, around 2.3 kilometres of track has also been opened in the Chhangru-Gaga section.

The army said progress has slowed due to budget shortages.

Only Rs63.1 million has been allocated for the Tinkar road project in the current fiscal year. Of the total budget, only Rs10 million has been allocated for road construction, while the remaining amount has been allocated for the construction of an army camp in Chhangru and the purchase of machinery and equipment.

Due to the budget crunch, road construction work remained suspended from February until mid-April. The army resumed construction in the last week of April.

PHOTO CAPTION: Small vehicles reach Dumling in Byans Rural Municipality-2, Darchula. Manoj Badu/TKP