Ghodepani folks gear up for trekking routes construction

MYAGDI: Tourism entrepreneurs of Ghodepani in Myagdi district have geared up for the maintenance of old trekking routes and construction of new ones in different parts of the villages.

Most of the trekking routes available in the village are damaged and some tourist areas have no trekking routes, said Dam Bahadur Pun, Chairman of the Hotel Entrepreneurs Association, Ghodepani.

"We have managed boulders for the maintenance of damaged trekking routes at a cost of Rs. 500,000", he said, adding the construction and maintenance task will commence once the monsoon ends.

Unmanaged trekking routes are a hamper for tourists here. According to the Association, at the initiative of the Ghodepani folks, around Rs. one million has been collected for the construction and maintenance purposes.

Trekking route opening to Ghodepani to Ulleri of Kaski, Ghandruk Deurali trekking route and Shikha, Pun Hill trekking route are waiting for maintenance. Similarly, task of fencing the Pun Hill with iron bars has initiated following smuggling of wildlife in and around the trekking route.

Prior to this, at an initiative of locals, entrance gates were constructed in front of four trekking routes in the village at a cost of Rs. 1.2 million.

source: The Himalayan Times,26 Sept 2012