Taplejung locals waiting for reopening of Tiptala border

By Chandra Pandak,Taplejung, Nov. 10: Locals of Taplejung district have been waiting for the resumption of the Tiptala border, which has remained closed since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Situated 25 kilometres north of Olangchungola in Phaktanglung Rural Municipality-7, the Tiptala checkpoint has remained closed for nearly four years. 

People of Phale, Ghunsa of Olangchungola-7, and Yangma in Phaktanglung Rural Municipality-6 Lelep, have suffered due to the prolonged closure of the Tiptala border crossing, impacting import and export of essential goods.

Residents of Olangchungola, Yangma, Phale, and Ghunsa used to import low-cost essential items from Tibet's Riu market and used to sell animal products including dried yak cheese and carpets. After the closure of Tiptala crossing, residents of these areas are compelled to bring essential items from Phungling, the district headquarters, paying double the cost of the goods.

Dawaphuti Sherpa, a local hotelier in Olangchungola, said that the additional transportation cost makes goods bought in Phungling more expensive compared to their purchase price. 

Sherpa stated that transporting goods from Phungling to Iladanda in Lelep costs an additional Rs. 6 per kilogram while transporting goods using vehicles, the good cost additional Rs. 60 per kilogram while transporting them using porters  from Iladanda to Olangchungola. 

Olangchungola Ward President Cheten Sherpa said that reopening of the Tiptala border crossing would greatly benefit the residents of the Himalayan region. He expected that importing essential materials from the Riu market, even without transport facilities, would cost half the cost of goods supplied from Phungling. 

Sherpa explained that those engaged in animal husbandry are struggling because they have failed to sell their livestock, including yaks due to the closure of the border. Locals are experiencing difficulties as their yaks, which they used to export to Tibet, are now unsellable.

There has been a continuous effort to reopen Tiptala border crossing. During the visit of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda' to China in October, discussions regarding the border's reopening were positive, raising hopes for an early resolution.

Recently, a team of the Taplejung branch of the Federation of Nepali Journalists also visited the Tiptala area with the aim of exerting pressure to reopen the border. 

Anand Gautam, branch president of FNJ, informed that the team including the leading journalists of the district met with the officials of Dingje County area and asked them to take initiative to reopen the border.