Construction on the Saljhandi-Sandhikhark-Dhorpatan road is advancing at speed through Gulmi district, where the 8-kilometre section from Sirseni to Arkhawang has reached 55 percent physical progress. Infrastructure Development Minister Sunil Lamsal shared the update in a Facebook post on October 8, reporting that subbase and structure construction works on the section are progressing rapidly.
“Subbase and structure construction works on the 8-kilometre road section from Sirseni to Arkhawang in Gulmi are moving forward at rapid pace,” the minister wrote. He added that 55 percent physical progress has been achieved so far, with a target to complete construction by Kartik 2084 (around October to November 2027).
The minister also said that work on the wider Saljhandi-Sandhikhark-Dhorpatan road project is being advanced with priority by the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, signalling that the corridor remains high on the ministry’s agenda.
Saljhandi-Sandhikhark-Dhorpatan Road Corridor and Its Importance
The Saljhandi-Sandhikhark-Dhorpatan road is a north-south corridor that begins at Saljhandi in Rupandehi on the southern plains, passes through Sandhikhark, the headquarters of Arghakhanchi district, and reaches Dhorpatan in Baglung district. Dhorpatan is home to the Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, Nepal’s only hunting reserve, which attracts visitors from Nepal and abroad every year. The Sirseni to Arkhawang section lies in Gulmi district of Lumbini Province, on the mid-hill stretch of the corridor.
For hill districts such as Gulmi and Arghakhanchi, an all-weather north-south link makes a direct difference in daily life. Farm produce travels down to Tarai markets, construction materials and essential supplies travel up, and residents get safer travel through the year. The corridor also connects the East-West Highway belt at Saljhandi with tourism and trade destinations in the mid-hills, supporting local economies along the route. For another mid-hill corridor story, see the Beni-Jomsom-Korala road reopening: Beni-Jomsom-Korala road reopening
What Comes Next on the Gulmi Section
With more than half of the physical work complete and subbase and structure works now in full swing, attention turns to the remaining works, including base courses, surfacing and drainage, that are typical of hill road construction in Nepal. The Kartik 2084 target gives the project roughly a year to finish the remaining 45 percent of work. The minister’s post indicates the ministry intends to keep the project moving at the current pace, and progress reports on this corridor are expected to continue in the coming months. Road works are also moving on other national corridors, such as the Muglin-Pokhara section: Muglin-Pokhara section
Source: Minister Sunil Lamsal’s Facebook post, October 8, 2026: Minister Sunil Lamsal’s Facebook post