SINDHUPALCHOWK: Reconstruction works have been expedited to bring into operation the Tatopani checkpoint, an important Nepal-China border checkpoint, by the first week of May.
The Tatopani checkpoint had been closed following the 2015 earthquake that devastated physical infrastructures on both sides of the checkpoint.
Chinese SCRC Construction Company has been entrusted to reconstruct damaged physical infrastructures at the Tatopani checkpoint.
It has been almost four years since the checkpoint was closed after the mega earthquake destroyed its infrastructures including facilities on April 25, 2015.
The infrastructures of historical Nepal-China border checkpoint suffered further damages following the Bhotekoshi floods that occurred on July 6, 2016. The floods damaged Kodari Highway, delaying the construction works further.
The floods had damaged Miteri bridge connecting Nepal to China. The reconstruction of this historical bridge is underway. “We will complete the reconstruction works of infrastructures by the last week of April and that the Tatopani checkpoint will probably come into operation by the first week of May,” said an official of SCRC.
According to an official at the Department of Roads, the China government has expedited reconstruction of infrastructures including roads and customs office buildings. Nepal government has also directed the Department of Roads to complete the infrastructure on Nepal side as soon as possible.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had signed a deal with China government in this regard. During Oli’s official visit to China last year, Foreign Secretary Shaker Das Bairagi and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou had signed a deal on bringing Tatopani checkpoint into operation, including the construction of Miteri bridge.
Prior to the devastating earthquake, Nepal used to import goods worth over 20 billion through this checkpoint, yielding about Rs. 2 billion in revenue for Nepal.
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