Kavre, May 29

Tatopani transit point at the Nepal-China border resumed today after four years. The border point was closed due to the earthquakes of 2015.

The transit point officially resumed after four containers ferrying wool entered the Nepali side from China amidst a programme attended by high level officials from both countries.

Minister of Industries, Commerce and Supplies Matrika Yadav and Chinese envoy to Nepal Hou Yanqi had jointly inaugurated the transit point and announced its operation.

Though the transit point has come into operation, people will not be permitted to pass via the border. Vehicles ferrying goods from China will be off-loaded at a dry port in Larcha on the Nepali side and loaded from there. Earlier, people were allowed to move through the border point.

Repair and construction of the main office, customs yard, a quarter destroyed by the earthquakes have been completed at the dry port. Likewise, after the construction of customs office, quarantine, check post, bank and residence is over, goods will be off-loaded and loaded at the dry port.

The Nepal-China border point resumed after Miteri bridge and other physical structures damaged by the earthquakes were constructed. The border-point is the shortest from the capital Kathmandu.

China had constructed the road from border point to Baseri on the Nepali side while the Road Division Office, Charikot, had built the road from Barhabise to Beri. Houses and other structures destroyed by the tremors have been reconstructed and rebuilt at Tatopani, Liping and other areas.

Immigration office that had remained closed due to the earthquakes has been re-established in Liping. Some parts of the road damaged by flood and tremor have also been black-topped while some sections have been gravelled.

The Chinese government had agreed to reopen the border as repair of the border point and its surroundings was finished.

Tatopani transit point at Nepal-China border was closed for four years due to the devastating earthquakes of 2015 and frequent flooding in the Bhotekoshi River. Earlier, China had been reluctant to reopen the border citing security reasons despite repeated requests from the Nepal government.

According to Tatopani Customs Office, goods worth Rs 20 billion used to be imported and goods worth Rs 3 billion exported through the border point.

The import and export used to contribute around Rs 5 billion as revenue to the national coffers.