Works on upgrading the Pokhare-Chitre road connecting local Ghodepani, one of the major tourist destinations in Gandaki province, have neared completion. Once the works are completed, it will reduce the travel time as well as make the journey to Ghodepani safer and easier.

Works like graveling the road, paving it with RCC at some sections and asphalting it are on the verge of completion. The 18.54 kilometres road is being upgraded after around 15 years since its construction.

"Before, it used to take three hours to reach Ghodepani from Pokharebagar by vehicle. Now it can be reached in one hour and the journey has also become safer and smooth," said Biswas Khatri, a local driver.

The National Reconstruction Authority had awarded the contract for upgrading this road. Later, on the road upgrading project was handed to the Kaski-based Local Infrastructure Development Office under the Ministry of Urban Development following the dissolution of the Authority.

The Office handed the contract for the road improvement to the Motidan-Jayamata JV. The cost of the project is Rs 279 million 135 thousand.

Most of the works of the road upgrading project have been completed, said Ram Prasad Banjade, the representative of the construction company.

Ram Bahadur Khadka, the Chair of Annapurna Rural Municipality-6, said travelling has become easier now for the tourists and the locals alike with the completion of the road upgrading works.

According to him, 2,500 households of Shikha, Ghar and other villages along the road and hundreds of tourists travelling to and from Ghodepani daily have been benefited by this road.