The Kodari Highway, a key trade route linking Nepal and China, resumed operations on Wednesday evening after landslides were cleared. According to Director General of the Department of Customs, Shyam Prasad Bhandari, 43 cargo trucks entered Nepal through the Tatopani border on Thursday.
Officials, however, cautioned that continued heavy rainfall could force another closure. A technical team from the Charikot Road Division, equipped with machinery, worked to clear a 200-meter section of road blocked by a massive landslide.
The shutdown, which occurred just ahead of the Dashain festival, had raised concerns over possible import disruptions from China. The reopening is expected to ease the flow of goods into Nepal.
Meanwhile, the Rasuwagadhi border point remains closed after mid-July floods in Tibet’s Lhende River washed away the cross-border bridge. A temporary bridge is under construction, but authorities say reopening may take time due to severe damage on the Nepali side.
The floods also caused heavy damage to the 111-megawatt Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project, destroying its dam and halting operations. Repair costs are estimated at around Rs 1 billion.
Earlier, Physical Infrastructure and Transport Minister Devendra Dahal had directed the Department of Roads to devise a sustainable solution to frequent landslides along the Kodari route.
