Myagdi, June 17: Trekking to Annapurna Base Camp has become easier after Nepal’s national grid reached a key stretch of the route, improving power supply in one of the country’s busiest trekking corridors.
The Nepal Electricity Authority extended the transmission line from Jhinu Danda to Upper Sinuwa in Ward 11 of Annapurna Rural Municipality, replacing years of dependence on micro hydro and small off grid systems. The move is part of a wider plan to electrify major trekking routes across Kaski.
With grid electricity now available, hotels, residents and trekkers along the trail have access to a more stable power supply. Tourism operators say the change directly improves daily services in the area, which hosts dozens of lodges along the Jhinu to Upper Sinuwa stretch.
Hotel owner Jagdish Gurung, who has worked in Jhinu for two decades, said the arrival of national electricity strengthens the tourism outlook. He noted that around 60 to 70 hotels now operate in this section of the trail. Another operator from Chhomrong, Mikash Gurung, said trekkers will benefit from better access to charging, hot water and internet, while lodges can now offer uninterrupted service.
According to engineer Sajivshree Ramtel at the NEA Pokhara Distribution Centre, power is already flowing through the extended line from Ghandruk Bus Park through Jhinu and Chhomrong up to Upper Sinuwa. Households and businesses have begun installing meters and connecting to the system.
The project faced delays after its initial tender in 2022 failed to move forward when the selected contractor did not sign an agreement. It was later awarded to BNR Mahalaxmi JV of Dhankuta, which completed the work at a cost of Rs 22.1 million. Construction in steep terrain proved difficult, with poles and transformers transported by helicopter in higher sections.
Officials say trekkers previously struggled with basic needs such as charging devices and accessing reliable communication. The new grid connection has reduced these challenges. The authority plans to extend the line further towards Himalaya settlement in the coming fiscal year, although material shortages have temporarily slowed progress.
Alongside infrastructure upgrades, tourism in the Annapurna region has surged. The Annapurna Conservation Area recorded 441,422 foreign visitors by mid June of the current fiscal year, the highest on record. That compares with 278,113 visitors in fiscal year 2024/25, with a further rise expected before year end.
Project chief Dr. Rabin Kadariya said arrivals from India and other South Asian countries rose sharply, with May alone seeing nearly a 300 percent jump, marking the strongest influx of Indian tourists ever recorded in the region.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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