Two-way traffic resumes on Ghasa-Korala road; road at Tatopani border point not an obstacle

Two-way vehicle movement has resumed on the Ghasa-Korala road after landslide debris was cleared, the Department of Roads said. The Korala border point with China had been closed after recent monsoon floods and landslides damaged roads and bridges.

According to the department, the road has been washed away at several points between Mustang and Beni, where workers are cutting into hillsides and building retaining walls. The target is to restore traffic on this section by Thursday evening.

On the Beni-Jomsom road, the eroded section at Tatopani is expected to be fixed by Wednesday evening, and the approach road to Pokhare Bazar bridge by Thursday evening. Road erosion near the Rahughat Hydropower Project is also being repaired.

Of the three main Nepal-China border points, Rasuwagadhi was washed away by floods in Bhadra, while the Chinese side has unilaterally closed the Tatopani border point in Sindhupalchok, citing the condition of the road on the Nepali side. However, Narayan Dutta Bhandari, chief engineer at the Road Division Office in Charikot, said the road on the Nepali side is not an obstacle to operating the Tatopani border point.

A joint team comprising the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, the Customs Office, the Department of Roads, the District Administration Office of Sindhupalchok, security agencies and a Chinese team has monitored the landslide-affected section. According to Bhandari, one-way vehicle movement had continued on this road even during the monsoon, and the road could be opened for two-way traffic within about three to four days.