Flooding in the Kaligandaki River has washed away the approach road to Maldhunga Bridge, disrupting road connectivity to several western and mid-hill districts of Nepal and affecting thousands of people. The damage occurred on September 27 following incessant rainfall that began on September 24.
Maldhunga Bridge, connecting Parbat and Baglung districts in Gandaki Province, saw its Parbat-side approach road eroded. This has cut off direct access from Baglung and Burtibang to districts including Rukum East, Rukum West, Jajarkot, Dailekh, Achham, and Baitadi in Sudurpaschim Province. The Mid-Hill Highway’s Parbat-Baglung section has been blocked for six days.
The Kaligandaki Corridor (Maldhunga–Beni–Jomsom–Korala section) has experienced 46 landslides over a 202-kilometre stretch. The Rahughat Hydropower Project’s testing has been halted, and 190 megawatts of power transmission are disrupted due to damaged 220kV transmission line towers.
Impact and contributing factors
The Road Division Office, Pokhara, is prioritizing repairs due to the approaching festive season and concerns about essential supplies, including food, being affected in Baglung. Baglung Chief District Officer Krishna Prasad Acharya said thousands of people had been affected by the loss of the approach road at Maldhunga just before the festive season. Conservation activist RK Adipta Giri described the erosion as an “almost unbelievable” scene, noting that a major loss of human lives was narrowly averted. In Parbat, 300 families have been displaced, with 106 homes fully destroyed and 540 people displaced along riverbanks. In Baglung, 13 people have died, and 61 homes and sheds were swept away.
While heavy rainfall caused the floods, engineers and local officials point to riverbed exploitation and encroachment as exacerbating factors. Dhurba Pokhrel, an information officer at the Road Division Office, Pokhara, said, “It appears that changes in the river’s course have damaged the approach road. This needs to be studied, and it should be.” Parbat Chief District Officer Gangabahadur Chhetri added that locals complain river exploitation has eroded settlements and structures, and businesses appear to have “arranged everything through some kind of setting.”
Repair efforts and timeline
Maldhunga Bridge, Nepal’s first arch bridge, was built in 1991 with Chinese assistance. Experts note arch bridges reduce flood damage risk to pillars, but the river has eroded the adjacent road section. This year’s flood is considered the largest in 30 years, and it is the first time the bridge’s approach road has been damaged.
Repair work is ongoing 24/7, managed by the Road Division Office, Pokhara, with assistance from the Nepali Army. The goal is to reopen the bridge within a week from October 5, 2026, if construction materials are available. However, as of October 3, 2026, only 30 percent of the work was complete, suggesting it could take at least 15 days. Prime Minister Balen Shah’s private secretary, Pradip Pariyar, and a Road Department team inspected the site on October 3, 2026. Home Secretary Kedar Nath Sharma was requested to initiate high-level efforts for repairs on September 27. Infrastructure Development Minister Sunil Lamsal has been urged to ensure results.
The Beni-Jomsom section from Maldhunga to Beni was repaired by the evening of October 5, 2026, and the entire Beni-Jomsom road is expected to open within seven days from today, October 6, 2026. Challenges include a lack of nearby construction materials and obstructions from Rahughat Hydropower project structures.
Uncertainties remain
The exact cost of damage to the bridge and other infrastructure is yet to be fully assessed. A definitive timeline for the complete restoration of all affected roads and Maldhunga Bridge remains uncertain, with varying estimates. Detailed information on long-term plans to mitigate future flood and erosion risks in the Kaligandaki Corridor is not yet available.
