Road to Tatopani border closed for a week

By Chitra Mijar,Sindhupalchok, May 12: The road connecting the Tatopani border point with China in the north has been closed from 11 May 11 to 17 May to carry out repair works after the Khoplang section of the Bahrabise–Kodari road subsided. 

The decision to close the road and begin repairs was made in a joint meeting involving the Road Division Office, District Administration Office, Bhotekoshi Rural Municipality, Tatopani Customs Office, and various transport companies operating in the area.

A light rainfall a week ago caused around 15 feet of the road to sink. Although the Road Division Office initially attempted to fill the sunken section with soil with the help of the local administration, the soil was washed away. Therefore, the road has been closed for a week to initiate long-term repair work.

The repair process involves raising the roadbed from the foundation of the Bhotekoshi River using plumb concrete filling. The concrete is being laid at a height of approximately 50 metres above the river level. The companies, Shiv Khimti and TPS JV, are currently working to repair the road.

The subsidence began about a week ago. Since then, freight containers, electric vehicles, and passenger buses heading to the capital from the Tatopani checkpoint have been completely halted. With the road blocked, containers arriving from Khasa, China and already cleared at Tatopani Customs have also been stranded.

According to Surya Prasad Kafle, information officer at Tatopani Customs, over 40 containers carrying apples and garlic, and more than 500 electric vehicles are stuck at the customs yard. Additionally, over 100 containers have been halted at Khasa.

No alternative route is available to transport the stranded goods and vehicles to the capital. It is also not possible to construct a road by cutting the upper section of the existing road, as the area above is highly prone to landslides. Considering the risk of human and material damage from using the unstable road, the Road Division Office in Charikot has opted to close the road for a week to stabilise and rebuild it, according to its spokesperson, Suraj Maharjan.

Even though work is underway to raise the road using plumb concrete from the foundation of the Bhotekoshi River, it is unlikely the road will be restored within a week. Additional weeks of closure may be required. As a result, there is a serious risk of perishables like apples and garlic decaying in the customs yard.

The condition of the Kodari Highway, the only international road link via the Tatopani checkpoint, has been dire for years. The Friendship Bridge, Liping Road, Kodari section, Tatopani, 10 km stretch, Daklang, Jhirpu, Baseri, Khagdal, Jambu, Sirise, and Khorsanibari sections are all in dilapidated condition. 

The catastrophic earthquake on April 25, 2015 left the entire route heavily damaged.