Containers carrying goods have started entering Nepal from Tatopani crossing, which has been closed for almost three weeks due to the landslide in Kodari of Arani highway. After the closure of the Rasuwa border, hundreds of cargo containers and electric vehicles have been brought into Nepal.

According to the Tatopani Customs Office, 44 cargo containers and some EVs have crossed the road and entered Nepal. As soon as the road opened, 20 empty containers were sent to the border from the landslide on Thursday evening. Even on Friday, the empty containers were sent to the border after the landslides.  Those containers will bring cargo goods from Miteri bridge to Totopani Customs . 

President of Sindhupalchok Industry and Commerce Association and businessman Buddharaj Basnet, who is regularly in the field to clear landslides, said that there is no problem in Kanter Aujau as the condition of the road has not deteriorated. According to him, the last time Kanter entered the customs yard was on July 17. During this period, fruits, spices, apples, pears, mangoes, grapes, garlic, kiwi etc. were brought to Tatopani customs yard by porters.

Porter's load at Tatopani Naka [Photos]

During this period, the businessmen suffered losses due to rotting of fruits worth lakhs. After the fruits and garlic started rotting in the container, they were carried away by porters. Rajesh Bhandari, a member of the Nepal Himalayan Cross Border Commerce Association and an importer, informed that about one and a half lakh extra money was spent on just one container for transportation. According to him, last year and this year, fruit importers had to suffer irreparable losses due to floods.

Last Asar 24 flood After the Rasuwa crossing was completely closed, the trade from China through the land route of the northern crossing was "diverted" to Tatopani . But the import trade was stopped due to a landslide that took place on the road at Kodari, about 2 km from Miteri bridge of Tatopani border towards Kathmandu. Customs officer Surya Kafle informed that the revenue collection in July of the current year was only 44 percent due to the trade standstill. He said that since the amount of revenue collected from fruits is not much, the import of commercial (ready-made clothes, shoes) should be easy. Lately, EVs have been arriving a lot from Tatopani crossing. It is estimated that this route will be used more after the closure of Rasuwa. 

According to Ramhari Karki, president of Nepal Himalayan Cross Border Commerce Association, hundreds of containers carrying goods are still preparing to come to Nepal from Nelam to Khasa. In particular, ready-made clothes and other textile-oriented goods have not been able to enter Nepal. President Karki said that even after bringing in Kathmandu, the goods to be sent to different cities in the country cannot be delivered on time.

Even if the road is opened immediately, there is a possibility of landslides again at any time due to rains  President of Sindhupalchok Industry and Commerce Association and businessman Buddharaj Basnet says. is not permanent, but temporary. A lot of work needs to be done to make it regular,' said Basnet.

The Kodari Highway is often flooded, the queue of containers across the border

is cutting from the lower part of Bhotekoshi and the traffic is coming to a halt at any time due to the landslide coming from the upper part, the officials of the road division say . After the earthquake, the road connecting Tatopani crossing, which was completely closed for four consecutive years, is in a very dilapidated condition, not only in Kodari, but also from Bahrbise to Miteri Bridge.