After a temporary 'diversion' was built at the Ghami River in Damodarkunda Rural Municipality-2, Mustang, cargo containers that were held up at the Mustang customs office due to the ongoing construction of a bridge have begun to exit.

As the construction of the bridge over the Ghami River on the Jomsom-Korala road has not been completed, several trucks and containers carrying tonnes of goods were facing difficulties crossing the makeshift bridge.

To address this, a 'diversion' was made in coordination with the Damodarkunda Rural Municipality, the Road Department, and local traders, allowing large cargo trucks to pass through the river.

Chairperson of Damodarkunda, Lobsang Chompel Bisht, said that immediate relief has been provided and that efforts are underway to complete the construction of the permanent bridge on this stretch of road. “Now that the customs office is operational, we have urged the concerned authorities to expedite the development of the incomplete infrastructure on the road. We also need to repair the road where there has been a problem with cargo trucks and containers exiting," he said.

The old bridge at the Ghami River will continue to be used for passenger and smaller vehicles. The ward chairperson, Thukten Chiring Gurung, explained that the diversion system has been established to direct all cargo transport, except passenger vehicles, through the designated diversion point.

Last week, 18 cargo trucks, each carrying between 20 and 30 tonnes of goods for the Chinese company Sino Hydro Corporation Limited, passed through the customs office for Manang District. Due to their heavy loads, the load capacity of the permanent bridge on the road has had to be tested before the trucks could continue. The construction of a 40-metre-long bridge at the Ghami River, costing Rs. 68 million, began in 2018 by Himdung and Thokar Construction, but the project is still incomplete.

Meanwhile, six cargo trucks entered the customs office from the Korala border post, and 49 trucks passed through after customs clearance. The chief of the customs office, Ramesh Khadka, mentioned that heavy equipment companies have been informed about the state of the road.

The Korala-Jomsom-Beni road, a 251-kilometre stretch connecting Gandaki Province's capital, Pokhara, to Korala, is in the process of completing its permanent bridge. However, delays in the bridge's construction have forced Nepali traders to transport goods with smaller vehicles through the customs office. Located at an altitude of 4,650 metres, the Korala border post connects India and China, covering the shortest distance of 435 km.

By Hari Krishna Sharma