The Araniko Highway, which was blocked by a landslide at Bhotekoshi Rural Municipality-2 in Sindhupalchowk on August 3, has remained closed since then.
The highway, which is highly prone to water-induced disasters during the monsoon, had been temporarily reopened following past disruptions. However, the magnitude of the recent landslide has forced a complete shutdown since August 3.
The prolonged obstruction, now lasting more than two weeks, has halted the movement of goods from the Tatopani trade transit point along the Nepal–China border. Consequently, around 1,700 containers remain stranded on the Chinese side at Tatopani.
Rajendra Prasad Chudal, Chief of the Tatopani Customs Office, stated that although efforts are underway to reopen the route, it remains uncertain whether the highway can be restored before the Dashain festival, given the geographical fragility of the area. He confirmed that roughly 1,000 trucks loaded with goods are stuck in the Tatopani area alone.
Ramhari Karki, Chairperson of the Trans Himalaya Border Commerce Association, likewise confirmed that more than 1,000 containers have been stranded in the region. “Goods imported for Dashain will be of no use if they arrive after the festival,” Karki stressed, underscoring the urgency of reopening the highway-even if only through the creation of a temporary alternative track to allow the passage of containers.
Meanwhile, traders who had traveled to China to import winter clothing via this route-the shortest transit corridor between China and Kathmandu-are now deeply concerned by the ongoing disruption.
