The Chinese side has informed that the border crossing could not be opened because the customs system on the Chinese side was not operational due to the fire.
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Although the forest fire in the Nyalam-Khasa border area of China has been brought under control, the Tatopani border crossing has not yet been fully operational.
The Chinese side has informed that the border crossing could not be opened due to the fire, as the customs system on the Chinese side was not operational.
According to Sindhupalchowk Chief District Officer Ram Krishna Adhikari, the Chinese administration has been informing Nepal that the border crossing is impossible to operate after the fire in the Nyalam, Khasa and Chobin areas. An electrical transmitter exploded in the Khasa area, causing a forest fire. It is reported that residents of Khasa and Ramite have been evacuated to safer places after the fire spread through the dense forest.
Although the fire that broke out last Sunday night was brought under control only on Saturday, the border crossing is still closed to the public. 'The border crossing, which was partially opened for a day on Wednesday and then closed again, has not been opened yet,' said Police Inspector Jag Bahadur Rai of the Area Police Office, Kodari. 'Some empty containers are going to China and 3-4 containers of goods are entering Nepal, but this is not regular.'
Due to the closure of the checkpoint, nearly 400 containers that were supposed to go to China and lipping towards Nepal have been stranded on the border roads. This has further troubled importers and businessmen. Previously, the Tatopani checkpoint, which was open for imports since 15 Jestha 2076 and exports since 18 Baisakh 2078, was reopened to the public only after eight years and five months after the 1972 earthquake.
Police Inspector Rai said that the border area has become deserted after the checkpoint was closed. It is said that it cannot be decided when regular movement will resume until the customs system towards China is fully operational due to the fire. Sindhupalchowk Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Buddharaj Basnet said that the businessmen have become more frustrated when containers carrying goods worth crores of rupees have been stopped due to the closure of the checkpoint. 'Nearly 400 containers are stranded on the border roads, including Khasa and Nyalam,' he said. The 26-kilometer road section between Barhabise and Tatopani becomes dusty in summer and muddy in the rainy season, making container movement more risky. The quarantine, parking lot, road connecting Khasa and tunnels damaged by the floods across the Miteri bridge are under reconstruction. Meanwhile, businessmen are facing more problems after China started releasing only 7 to 12 containers daily.
