Road to Upper Manang reopens with wooden crossing
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Authorities in Nepal’s Gandaki Province reopened the road to Upper Manang after three weeks, building a 35-meter wooden crossing over the Marshyangdi river.
Floods on September 25 and 26 had submerged a motorable bridge near Chame, cutting off access to the upper valley. Attempts to clear debris from the river proved unsuccessful, so Chame Rural Municipality, with support from the Nepali Army and local residents, constructed the temporary structure using timber laid across the bridge’s steel beams.
The blockage stemmed from a landslide and subsequent floods on the Ghatte river, which carried stones, gravel, and sand into the Marshyangdi, raising the water level. Officials first considered using explosives to clear the debris, but abandoned the plan due to concerns about damaging nearby homes. They then tried using machinery, but the sheer volume of material prevented them from restoring the river’s flow. The new crossing now allows jeeps and motorcycles to travel between Chame and Upper Manang.
Before its construction, residents and tourists had been risking their lives by walking directly on the exposed steel beams of the submerged bridge. Authorities plan to attempt clearing the river channel again after the Dashain festival, when traffic typically increases.
