Kathmandu, March 30

Construction at the Inland Clearance Depot (ICD) in Larcha of Tatopani trade route with China is going to resume soon as the Chinese side has agreed for the early completion of the project that is going to be built under the assistance of the government of China.

Work at the ICD was stalled after the earthquake of April 25, 2015, as the structure of the ICD and trade route were ravaged.

Nepal and China signed an agreement to build an ICD at Larcha under Chinese government assistance in 2012 and almost 80 per cent of the work had been completed before the earthquake.

The construction company, Beijing Real Estate, had left the work as the cost of the project ballooned due to floods and later the earthquake affected the structures of the project.

Government sources have confirmed that the project will be initiated as a new project and the cost involved in this project will be financed by China’s overseas development assistance (ODA) to Nepal.

The agreement between the government of China and the Ministry of Commerce is slated to be signed tomorrow for the early completion of the ICD Larcha.

The ICD Larcha also includes the construction of a 6.6-km road from the Chinese border point to Larcha. However, the government has yet to sanction the right-of-way clearance for the road.

The cost of the project increased heavily due to the natural disasters. Some of the features like retaining walls were added after the natural disasters affected the project.

To protect the already built structures, the rubble will be cleared slowly and reconstruction will be carried out gradually once the Chinese government hires and deploys a contractor, as per sources.

The ICD will include parking yard for 250 containers, customs office, immigration office, quarantine, bank and building for security forces.

Though the Chinese side has taken the initiative to resume the construction work of ICD at Larcha, the Nepali government has yet to start reconstruction of the ravaged section of Araniko Highway — a popular trade route with China. Trade activities with the northern neighbour via this route have been disconnected after the earthquake.