Nepal plans first feasibility study for Himalayan tourism highway

Nepal plans to study whether a Himalayan tourism highway can connect important mountain destinations and religious sites. This is the country’s first feasibility study for such a highway. It will assess whether the proposed routes are technically, economically, socially and environmentally suitable before construction begins.

The first phase covers two sections. One would run 105 kilometres from Api Nampa in Darchula, through Saipal in Bajhang, to Badimalika in Bajura. The other would stretch 45 kilometres from Num in Sankhuwasabha to Pathibhara in Taplejung. Together, they focus on Nepal’s far-western and far-eastern regions.

The Department of Roads and Nepal Infrastructure Construction Company Limited signed the study agreement. Field teams are expected to begin work shortly, using separate teams for the two areas. The study should finish within six months. Its findings will guide a detailed project report, route choices and possible construction in the following fiscal year.

A Himalayan tourism highway is a major planned road system intended to connect mountain destinations with wider transport networks. In this proposal, its purpose is to improve access to tourist and religious sites while supporting settlements and local markets. It is therefore both a transport project and a tourism infrastructure initiative.

An ordinary local road usually serves a smaller area or a limited number of communities. The proposed highway would connect longer regional sections, such as Api Nampa to Badimalika and Num to Pathibhara. Existing connecting roads could be tied into it, while feeder routes might become part of the national highway network.

The project also aims for reliable travel throughout the year. The study will help decide whether concrete or asphalt is more suitable. It will compare alignments, costs and environmental effects before recommending a final design. Those features would give the highway a broader role than a short local access road.

The first phase is substantial but limited to two proposed sections in Nepal’s western and eastern mountain regions. The western section would measure 105 kilometres, while the eastern section would measure 45 kilometres. Combined, the initial study area covers 150 kilometres of proposed routes.

The longer route would connect Api Nampa in Darchula to Badimalika in Bajura through Saipal in Bajhang. The shorter route would connect Num in Sankhuwasabha with Pathibhara in Taplejung. These sections were selected because they link major tourist and religious destinations in far-western and far-eastern Nepal.

The feasibility work is expected to last six months. Technical teams are expected to begin fieldwork shortly, with two separate teams planned. The government aims to complete the study during the current fiscal year. Afterward, officials plan to prepare a detailed project report and move toward construction in the following fiscal year.

A feasibility study examines whether a major project should proceed and how it should be designed. For this highway, the work will cover technical, economic, social and environmental factors. It matters because construction could be costly and could affect mountain landscapes, settlements and access patterns.

Technical teams will compare alternative road alignments and assess how existing connecting roads could join the proposed routes. They will also consider feeder roads that might be included in the national highway network. Cost control, environmental damage and the number of people served are central tests. The study will also inform the choice between concrete and asphalt.

The study is scheduled to last six months and will produce recommendations for the most suitable options. Nepal Infrastructure Construction Company Limited and the Department of Roads are carrying it out. The findings will support a detailed project report and the government’s decision about moving toward construction in the following fiscal year.

The proposed highway is intended to improve road safety and access in remote tourist destinations. Better connections could make places such as Badimalika and Pathibhara easier to visit. The Department of Roads expects the project to help increase tourist arrivals and stimulate economic activity if the highway is built.

Its effect would extend beyond visitors. The study will look for routes that connect local markets and serve settlements conveniently. Linking main roads with existing connections and feeder routes could spread access across more communities. Safer, more reliable travel could help destinations, religious sites and nearby businesses participate in tourism.

These benefits remain potential outcomes because construction has not begun. The feasibility study must first identify affordable routes with limited environmental damage. If the government accepts the recommendations, it plans to prepare a detailed project report and move toward construction the following fiscal year. The highway could then become a major link between Nepal’s far-western and far-eastern regions.

The proposed approach is to design a connected network rather than treat the highway as two isolated roads. The feasibility study will examine how existing connecting roads can join the main routes. Feeder roads may also be incorporated into the national highway network, extending access beyond the main corridor.

For example, teams will study connections from Darchula to Bajura and from Sankhuwasabha to Pathibhara in Taplejung. They will compare alternative alignments around these proposed sections. The key mechanism is route selection: officials can choose links that use useful existing infrastructure, serve more settlements and avoid unnecessary construction.

The study team says it will seek options that keep costs down, minimise environmental damage and benefit as many people as possible. It will also consider whether routes connect local markets conveniently. The final report will recommend the most suitable alternatives. Until that work is complete, no final alignment or network combination has been selected.

Building an all-season road in the high Himalaya is difficult because terrain and weather can challenge construction and maintenance. Steep slopes complicate alignments. Cold temperatures and freezing conditions can damage surfaces, while snow and seasonal hazards can interrupt travel. At high elevations, equipment, workers and materials are also harder to move and support.

Nepal’s highest-altitude road so far is at Korala in Mustang, along the Kaligandaki Corridor, at 4,600 metres. That figure shows the demanding elevation involved in Himalayan road building. For the proposed highway, engineers will compare concrete and asphalt to identify a surface that can remain operational throughout the year.

The feasibility study will test alternative alignments and examine technical, economic, social and environmental factors. It will also consider costs and environmental damage. These findings are essential before construction because a route that works on paper may not provide dependable access in every season. The final report will recommend the most suitable options.