The people of Homa-Hangbang, a remote village in Rolpa district, burst into celebration when a small convoy of motor vehicles reached their village for the very first time on a recent afternoon.

They had been anticipating this moment from the day the work started on the final 4km section of the motor track connecting their village with Upper Risbang two years ago. More than 100 villagers, including women and elderly people, had contributed labour to open the track, which is part of the Libang-Homa Liban road.

Kamal Budha Magar, chairman of the Hangbang Consumers Committee, said the villagers had donated their labour equivalent to around Rs 1.4 million while constructing the track.

“The villagers were involved in every aspect of this project, from taking measurements to digging earth to open the track. So, naturally, they are proud of their work and have all the more reason to rejoice and celebrate the arrival of motor vehicles,” he said, adding that more than 103 families will benefit from the road connectivity project.

Homa-Hangbang is around 25 km west from Libang, the district headquarters of Rolpa. The Upper Risbang-Hangbang road is expected to be a boon for the village as it will provide direct motor access to the neighbouring market areas.

Raj Bahadur Budha Magar, chief of the District Coordination Committee, said the village farmers can now send their harvests to market in time.

“The locals of Homa-Hangbang can now expect a good price for their agricultural produce,” he said.

The villagers also aim to expand the road up to Golbang and Gumthal within the next fiscal year.