KATHMANDU: Nepal’s northern Rasuwagadhi International Border Point has fully resumed operations from today, following months of disruption caused by flood damage, according to local authorities.
Chief District Officer of Rasuwa, Rajesh Panthi, said the border point began operating again this morning after remaining completely closed since July 8, when floods in the Lhende River washed away the Friendship Bridge (Miteri Bridge) connecting Nepal and China.
Panthi said the border was reopened after the Chinese government constructed a 91-meter-long Bailey bridge, allowing the movement of vehicles. The newly built bridge has a load-bearing capacity of 55 tonnes, making it suitable for cargo transport.
Following the reopening of the Kerung border point, eight Nepali cargo containers have already crossed the Friendship Bridge and headed toward Kerung for the import of Chinese goods, according to Bikram Kunwar, Police Inspector at the Timure Border Police Post. He added that several other vehicles are also on standby to cross the border.
However, the prolonged closure of the border has resulted in significant revenue losses. Chief Customs Officer Tulsi Prasad Bhattarai said that customs revenue collected from imported goods has suffered a loss of over Rs 22 billion in the current fiscal year compared to last year.
Meanwhile, concerns remain over road safety on the Syaphrubesi–Rasuwagadhi road section. Transport operator Suku Tamang of Rasuwa Yarsa said the deteriorated condition of the road has created difficulties for cargo vehicles and increased the risk of accidents. He urged concerned authorities to take immediate measures to improve road conditions and ensure the safety of people and property.
The floods on July 8 caused severe damage to dozens of road sections. Although the Galchhi–Rasuwagadhi Road Improvement Project carried out repair works and reopened the road track, drivers say the absence of strong retaining walls has left vehicle movement risky.
With the border now operational, stakeholders expect trade activities with China to gradually return to normal, while calling for urgent improvements to road infrastructure on the Nepali side.
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