Road leading to the lap of world’s highest peak

Solukhumbu, March 22  The Khumbupasanglhyamu rural municipality of the district is coming under the road reach within this fiscal year.

This is the only among eight rural municipalities of the district which has not yet been connected to the road network.

The rural municipality source said it has a plan to expand the road network to ward-1 of Khumbupasanglhyamu rural municipality in this fiscal.

Lakpa Tsheri Sherpa, Spokesperson of the rural municipality, informed that the road would be stretched up to Khari rivulet of the rural municipality in a near future. Only four kilometers of road is to be constructed to reach to Khari rivulet, he shared.

“It is not exaggeration to say that the road has reached to the lap of the world’s highest peak, the Mount Everest”, he asserted, adding, “Vehicular operation from headquarters Salleri to Kumburi was already there”.

The task of opening track of road is taking place on the joint investment of Madhyadudhkoshi and Khumbupasanglhyamu rural municipality.

The two local governments have advanced the task of opening track by signing a memorandum of understanding for making investment of Rs 3.9 million.

Buddhikiran Rai, Chair of Madhyadudhkoshi rural municipality, informed that both the rural municipalities have agreed to make equal investments for the same.

The road from headquarters Salleri to Madhyadudhkoshi-2, Andheri was already expanded. This year 40-km road to Khumbupasanglhyamu-1, Buksa via ward-1 of Madhyadudhkoshi is to be constructed.

Remaining 30 kilometres up to Lukla would be constructed in the next fiscal year, Spokesperson Sherpa added.Not to expand road across Lukla

Tourism entrepreneurs have suggested the local governments not to stretch the road across Lukla in the name of attracting tourists reaching to ‘Everest Region’ – the globally popular tourism destination.

Shiva Bahadur Basnet, operator of High Speed Treks and Expedition Nepal Pvt Ltd, said it would not be possible to keep tourism attraction in Khumbu if the road was expanded to the area across Lukla.

As most of the travelers have seen health complications while ascending to high altitude, it is not appropriate to do so without taking any break, said people involving in trekking business.

Yangda Sherpa, who has already served as a ‘Icefall Doctor’ being involved in tourism sector since long, suggested that it would be appropriate to initiate trekking route from Lukla from the high altitude perspective.

Health compilations could arise while scaling to high altitude area at once. “Temperature in Kathmandu and Lukla has vast difference so it would be risky to go to the high altitude without any break”, Sherpa added.