Kerung border remains shut, forcing traders into financial hardship

Kathmandu, Nov 24: On July 8, 2024, floods in the Lhende River in China swept away the Miteri Bridge at the Kerung border point, completely halting the movement of goods between Nepal and China. Many people lost their lives in the floods, and traders faced heavy financial losses as trucks and containers were washed away. Traders say hundreds of Nepal-bound trucks and containers were swept away, and with the Miteri Bridge gone, nearly 300 containers have been stuck on the Chinese side in the customs process. More than five months have passed since the disaster, yet transportation has not resumed because the containers loaded with goods for Nepali traders remain stranded in China. This has pushed traders into financial trouble. With the border point closed for months, the government has also failed to meet its revenue collection target. For the four months of July, August, September and October 2024, the target was set at Rs 13. 53 billion. Damage to the Miteri Bridge, the customs yard and the road network led to a revenue loss of more than Rs 14 billion from this border point in five months. Located about 132 kilometers from Kathmandu, this checkpoint had been the country’s fifth largest customs office in terms of revenue collection. This key trade route to northern neighbor China had been growing in importance, but it has now come to a standstill after the massive flood in the Lhende River. On the Chinese side, reconstruction of the bridge has reached its final stage, and on the Nepali side, the obstructed roads have already opened.
https://mypeoplesreview.com/2025/11/24/kerung-border-remains-shut-forcing-traders-into-financial-hardship/