Work Begins to Reopen Martadi-Kolti Road After Three-Month Closure

Bajura: Work has commenced to reopen the Martadi-Kolti road section, which connects the eastern-northern region, after remaining closed for three months.

Efforts are underway to bring the road section, which has been blocked since the second week of Asar due to the onset of the monsoon, back into operation starting today. Chief District Officer Dorendra Niraula stated that reopening work began using a JCB excavator from Badimalika Municipality, in coordination with the Infrastructure Development Office, Achham. According to him, work to clear landslides and repair the road at various locations is nearing completion, and the road is expected to be operational within a few days.

The road was completely shut down due to landslides triggered by continuous rainfall and rising water levels in streams at various points along the Martadi-Kolti route. The closure caused significant hardship for travelers, including residents of four local units in the eastern-northern region and people from neighboring districts such as Humla and Mugu.

While the road was blocked, passengers had to pay fares of up to 2,000 rupees to travel from Martadi to Kolti. The closure stranded vehicles mid-route and disrupted the transportation of essential commodities and construction materials.

The road faces annual blockages due to the absence of bridges over the Bauli Khola in Badimalika Municipality-8 and Rajatoli Khola in Ward No. 7, as well as recurring landslides in areas such as Jilli and Rajatoli.

Amar Bahadur Khadka, Mayor of Badimalika Municipality, stated that while the construction of bridges over the Anai Khola last year and the Dansanghu Khola in Budhinanda Municipality this year has brought some relief, the bridge over the Bauli Khola has remained incomplete for five years. He noted that although a bridge is currently under construction at Rajatoli, residents face annual hardships due to the construction company’s delays regarding the Bauli Khola bridge.

Road blockages have prevented farmers in the eastern and northern regions from transporting their apples to the market. Apple farmer Ujjal Rawat explained that the closure of agricultural roads has made it impossible to transport apples to the market. According to him, many farmers carry their apples on their backs to the district headquarters, Martadi, while others transport them via the Karnali Corridor to cities such as Dhangadhi and Nepalgunj.

The Martadi-Kolti road section, whose foundation stone was laid approximately 27 years ago, has yet to be fully upgraded. Delays in blacktopping and upgrading the road, which is part of the Sudurpaschim Provincial Government’s multi-year plan, have led to recurring hardships for citizens, as the road is frequently blocked during the monsoon season.

According to the Infrastructure Development Office in Achham, a budget of Rs 200 million (20 crore) had to be returned last fiscal year because the contractor failed to carry out work on the Martadi-Kolti road. Due to the sluggishness of the contractor, PS Baniya Construction Service, which was awarded the contract for the road’s construction and upgrade, substantial budgets amounting to millions of rupees have been returned not only last year but also in previous years.