MYAGDI: One of Nepal’s most remote settlements, Gurja village in Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality–1 of Myagdi district, is set to be connected to the national road network within the current fiscal year, local officials said.

The rural municipality has accelerated construction of the Lulang–Gurja road project, aiming to open an additional four kilometres of track this year. According to Chairperson Prem Prasad Pun, the project, launched in the fiscal year 2019/20, is considered a flagship development initiative of the municipality.

So far, around 18 kilometres of road from Lulang to Bhaisimane have been opened with joint funding from local, provincial and federal governments. This year, a budget of NPR 17 million has been allocated, and a contractor has already completed about one kilometre of road from Bhaisimane to Jhirso.

Once the remaining section is completed, Gurja will be fully connected to motorable roads for the first time. Local ward chairperson Jhak Bahadur Chhantyal said residents previously had to walk for an entire day through steep terrain to reach the nearest roadhead.

Gurja, home to around 1,500 people from Chhantyal and Dalit communities, is the only ward in Myagdi district without road access so far. Officials expect the new road to ease transportation of essential goods, improve access to health services, and promote domestic tourism in the region.