600 containers stranded at Nyalam

By Chitra Kumar Mijar,Sindhupalchowk, Nov. 11: More than 600 containers loaded with goods bound for Nepal through the Tatopani border point remain stranded on the Chinese side after Nyalam Customs in Tibet delayed customs clearance procedures, according to traders.

Buddha Raj Basnet, district president of the Chamber of Commerce, and Industry, Sindhupalchowk said that containers carrying billions of rupees worth of goods have been stuck in Nyalam, Khasa, and Ramite areas due to the slow clearance process at Nyalam Customs. 

“The delay in customs inspection has left our goods stranded in Chinese territory instead of being sent to Tatopani Customs,” he said.

Basnet urged the government to take diplomatic initiatives with the Chinese authorities to expedite the clearance process. He alleged that Nyalam Customs has been prioritising the clearance of electric vehicles over other essential goods such as daily consumables, clothing and fruits, causing further delays.

“Even though traders have repeatedly requested the customs office to clear general goods along with electric vehicles, the Chinese officials seem reluctant to respond,” Basnet added.

Trade shift and repeated disruptions

Following the July 8 flood that washed away the Miteri Bridge and infrastructure at the Kerung border, all trade activities had been diverted to the Tatopani border point. 

However, another setback occurred in mid-August when the Eko landslide along the Kodari Highway blocked access for nearly two months.

Now that the Tatopani road section has been resumed, traders say the delay by Nyalam Customs has once again disrupted cross-border trade. During previous blockages at Rasuwa and Tatopani, Nepali traders had even been forced to import goods via the Korala border in Mustang to meet market demand.

Seasonal items such as fruits and spices had to be manually carried across the Eko landslide area by porters. At present, perishable goods, including fruits, remain stuck at Nyalam, raising concerns about damage and financial loss.

Call for green channel and faster clearance

Basnet said that under international trade practice, perishable goods like fruits should be cleared under a ‘Green Channel’, a fast-track customs clearance process, to ensure speedy inspection and delivery. However, Nyalam Customs has shown little progress in implementing such a mechanism.

Traders have continuously requested the Nyalam administration to accelerate the process and release the stranded containers for transport to the Tatopani Customs, but the Chinese authorities have yet to respond.

According to Rajendra Prasad Chudal, Chief of Tatopani Dry Port and Customs Office, there are no obstacles in the Nepali side, neither at the customs office nor on the road. “The delay is entirely due to slow clearance at Nyalam Customs,” he claimed. 

Indra Raut, second vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Sindhupalchowk said the containers stranded in Nyalam contain winter supplies, clothing, footwear, electronic items, readymade garments, and electrical equipment.

Nyalam Customs currently clears only about 15 containers per day, compared to 50–60 containers daily in previous years. Traders fear that if this pace continues, the backlog could take several weeks to clear, further straining Nepal’s import supply chain ahead of the winter season.