KATHMANDU: Nepali traders have expressed frustration after the Chinese side failed to release containers bound for Nepal through the Tatopani border point, despite the recent reopening of the Araniko Highway.
Businesspeople say goods ordered for the upcoming festival season remain stuck in China, raising fears of losses worth millions.
“Although the Araniko Highway has been cleared, containers are still not entering Nepal freely,” said Anirudra Thapa, director of Trans Silk Terminal. He noted that while an average of 30 containers used to arrive daily, the number has dropped sharply as the Chinese side is releasing only a few trucks.
Balram Dhakal, a member of the Himalayan Cross-Border Trade Association, added that trucks stranded on the Nepali side have managed to enter, but those on the Chinese side remain blocked. He urged the government to take up the matter with Chinese authorities.
Customs officials confirmed the slowdown. Ramesh Shah, information officer at Tatopani Customs, said coordination with the Chinese side is ongoing. “The explanation we have received is that there is a shortage of manpower on their side. They have assured us that shipments will normalize soon,” he said.
The disruption comes just days after the Araniko Highway, blocked by landslides in Bhotekoshi Rural Municipality, reopened. Traders worry that unless containers are released swiftly, festival supplies will not reach markets in time, compounding their financial strain.
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