KATHMANDU, Aug 22: The Kodari Highway, which connects Nepal and China, has resumed operations. The road section reopened on Wednesday evening and 43 cargo trucks entered Nepal on Thursday, according to Director General of Department of Customs Shyam Prasad Bhandari.
Although reopened, officials warned that heavy rainfall could lead to another closure. A technical team from the Charikot Road Division, equipped with machinery, cleared landslides to make the route operational.
The Tatopani crossing had been shut down after a massive landslide blocked a 200-meter section of road. With the closure occurring just ahead of the Dashain festival, concerns had risen over possible import disruptions from China. The reopening is expected to ease the import of goods.
Import of Chinese apples through Rasuwagadhi border point down
Earlier, Physical Infrastructure and Transport Minister Devendra Dahal instructed the Department of Roads to find a sustainable solution to frequent landslides along the route.
While Tatopani is open, the Rasuwagadhi border point remains uncertain. “It cannot be said when Rasuwagadhi will reopen, though efforts are underway,” Bhandari said, adding that construction of a temporary bridge on the Nepal–China border had begun and may speed up resumption.
The Rasuwagadhi border was shut after devastating floods in Tibet’s Lhende River in mid July swept away the cross-border bridge. Authorities say reopening will take time as significant damage occurred on the Nepali side as well.
The flood also severely damaged the dam of the 111-megawatt Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project, halting operations. Repairs are estimated to cost around Rs 1 billion before resumption.
