Road Construction Nears Completion Connecting Gurja Village in Myagdi to Transportation Network

Myagdi. The construction of the road connecting Gurja village in Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality-1, Myagdi, is reaching its final stage. Under the Lulang-Gurja road project, approximately four more kilometers of track will be built in the current fiscal year to connect Gurja to the transportation network. In the previous three years, an 18-kilometer road track from Lulang to Bhaisimane was opened with investment from the rural municipality, provincial, and federal governments.

Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality Vice-Chair Resham Pun Magar informed that an additional approximately three kilometers of road track has been opened from Bhaisimane to Paltan. "Once approximately two more kilometers of track are opened, Gurja will be connected to the road network," he said. "There has been some delay because the construction company's equipment (dozer) broke down. If work proceeds smoothly, the road will reach Gurja in about ten days. Vehicles will be able to travel there."

The contractor company, Lulu Construction, which was selected under the project allocated a budget of Rs 17 million in the current fiscal year, signed the contract agreement for Rs 88.85 million last Poush. Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality Chairman Prem Prasad Pun stated that the Lulang-Gurja road is a priority project for the rural municipality, which began in the fiscal year 2079/80.

Until two years ago, reaching Lulang from Gurja required a full day of walking uphill and downhill through cliffs, forests, and ravines. Dhaulagiri-1 Ward Chairman Jhak Chhantyal mentioned that currently, one can reach Gurja with a 20-minute walk from Paltan, where vehicles can reach.

"We Gurja residents are happy and enthusiastic that the road and vehicles are coming close to the village," he said. "Gurja residents did not believe it when plans were made to bring the road to the village. There is excitement among the Gurja residents now that vehicles are starting to approach the village."

Once vehicles start operating, it will be possible to reach the rural municipality center, Muna, in two and a half hours from Gurja, Beni in five hours, and Pokhara in seven hours. Local Gorkha Chhantyal stated that previously, it took a full day of walking to reach Muna from Gurja. With the commencement of vehicle traffic, it has become easier to transport patients to the hospital, and to market agricultural, livestock, and medicinal products. Tourist activity in Gurja has also started to increase.

In the current fiscal year, the Federal Government's Ministry of Urban Development has allocated Rs 30 million, and the Gandaki Provincial Government has allocated Rs 500,000 for improving the grade of the opened road, adjusting curves, widening narrow sections, and constructing concrete culverts.

The Provincial Government has started constructing a 25-meter long motorable bridge over the Darkhola stream at Lamsung, which falls on the road connecting Gurja. Gurja residents have launched a fundraising campaign for the construction of a Bailey bridge over the Kamjakhola stream. It has become easier to transport daily necessities, construction materials, and rush patients to the hospital on time.

Gurja, home to minority Chhantyal and Dalit communities, is the only ward among the 45 wards across Myagdi's six local levels that lacks access to road transport facilities. Gurja, which comprises a single settlement with 265 houses, has a population of 1,505 people.