The plan to construct a Bailey bridge as an alternative to the landslide-prone Faparkhet section of the Beni–Darbang road has fallen into uncertainty. This road connects three local units of western Myagdi to the district headquarters, Beni.
The Gandaki Province government had allocated NPR 10 million this fiscal year to build a motorable bridge over the Myagdi River—linking Mangala Rural Municipality-3 Pakher and Ward-2 Simalchaur—but implementation has stalled.
Gandaki Provincial Assembly member Resham Bahadur Jugjali said the plan remains stuck because the federal government has delayed providing the Bailey bridge. He noted that two years ago, the provincial cabinet requested a 55-meter reserved Bailey bridge from the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, with an agreement that the federal government would supply the bridge and the province would install it and build access roads. However, this understanding has not been executed.
Former Member of Parliament Khambir Garbuja, who coordinated the process while serving as State Minister for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation, said the handover process was in its final stage, but political changes following the recent “JENZI movement” delayed progress. Despite continued efforts under the new government, the bridge has still not been secured.
The Faparkhet area lies between Beni Municipality-4 and Mangala Rural Municipality-2, with the Myagdi River below and a large landslide above. Since the road was opened before 2003 (2060 BS), landslides during every monsoon have repeatedly blocked traffic along the 24-kilometer Beni–Darbang road, causing accidents and service disruptions.
In the past two months alone, two cargo trucks have fallen into the Myagdi River from the narrow, unstable stretch. The road serves residents of Mangala, Malika, and Dhaulagiri rural municipalities, as well as people from Tamankhola in Baglung district.
Locals say the recurring landslides have harmed mobility, medical emergencies, and the transportation of milk, vegetables, fruits, and daily necessities. Vehicles frequently suffer damage from falling debris, making travel dangerous year-round.
The landslide has also affected three hydropower projects under construction along the Myagdi River, the Dadakhet-Rahughat substation and transmission line, and multiple infrastructure projects involving roads, buildings, drinking water, and irrigation.
Although the former District Development Committee had built a retaining wall below the road to prevent river erosion, attempts to stabilize the slope above have repeatedly failed, resulting in wasted investment. The Infrastructure Development Office continues to clear debris to keep traffic moving temporarily.
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