The Korala border crossing with the Tibet Autonomous Region of China was expected to open during Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s week-long visit to China. Residents of Gandaki Province expected the opening of the Korala border crossing of Mustang during Prime Minister Dahal’s visit to China, but the issue of opening the Korala border crossing could not be included in the agreement reached with China during the Prime Minister’s visit.
It was believed that the opening of the Korala border crossing between Tibet Autonomous Region of China and Lo Manthang Rural Municipality of Mustang would increase bilateral trade and help the overall economy of Nepal.
Before Prime Minister Dahal left for China, the people of Pokhra and other leaders in the region had suggested that the issue of opening the Korala border should be on the agenda of the visit. Tashi Norbu Gurung, chairman of Lo Manthang Rural Municipality located in the upper region of Mustang, said, “We expected that there would have been an agreement to open the Korala border during Prime Minister Dahal’s visit to China. It was expected that the border would be opened temporarily, if not permanently.” According to him, all the structures on the Tibet side of the border are ready, but the structures on the Nepal side are weak.
He said that if the border was opened after signing an agreement when the Prime Minister went to China, it would help the prosperity of not only Mustang but the entire Gandaki Province and the country. “The expectation of the residents of Upper Mustang is that the border should be opened, but our expectations and demands alone are not able to make it possible,” he said.
According to an employee of the Mustang Customs Office, the bilateral trade fair held twice a year at the Korala border has not been held for the past few years. This fair was stopped after the corona virus infection started. The international trade fair used to go to Tibet 10 km from the border in coordination between the administration and security agencies of the two countries, but that fair has not been held for four years.
Even though the locals have been requesting to organize the fair even though it is seasonal, the trade fair has not been held since the Chinese side wants to open the border forever. According to that employee, now there is only a customs building on the Nepal side. Apart from that, there is also a Border Outpost (BOP). “The Nepal government is not very prepared. So much so that there are not enough employees even in customs,” said the employee, “most of the work should be done by Nepal.”
The Department of Customs and the Ministry of Home Affairs also requested the local administration to prepare for the opening of the Korala border crossing. When Prime Minister Dahal went on a visit to China, there was a possibility that the border would be opened, but even though he asked to prepare accordingly, the locals are now disappointed. According to the Assistant Chief District Officer of Mustang, Chandrakant Basnet, there is currently one thousand ropani land in the name of customs. Now the soil of that land is being tested. BOP is located about 17 km from Korala pass. “Sufficient structures have been built on the Tibet side, but the infrastructure on the Nepal side is yet to be built,” Basnet said, “if necessary, we have to work.”
