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The direct road link to the Korala border point has been cut off after floods and landslides damaged a concrete bridge and eroded parts of the Beni-Jomsom-Korala section of the Kaligandaki Corridor, a national pride project.

The road connecting Pokharebagar in Annapurna Rural Municipality-6 and Bhurung-Tatopani Bazaar in Ward No. 2 was washed away by the Kaligandaki River, disrupting direct road connectivity.

With continuous rainfall causing the river to erode roads on Sunday morning, the road network along the Kaligandaki Corridor in Myagdi, Baglung and Parbat districts has been severely damaged. As a result, imports through the Liji-Nechung (Korala) border point via Zhongwa County in China's Tibet Autonomous Region are also likely to be affected.

Parts of the concrete bridge at Pokharebagar and the old concrete bridge linking Baglung with Maldhunga were washed away by the Kaligandaki River. As repairs will take time, cargo containers carrying goods for the upcoming festivals have been stranded.

Raju Lalchan, president of the Mustang Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the damage had come at a time when imports through the Korala border point had increased following the closure of the Rasuwagadhi border point.

The customs office at Timure in Rasuwa was washed away by the Bhotekoshi River floods, forcing imports to be routed through the Korala border point. The Tatopani border point has also not been operating smoothly.

“Electric vehicles and other goods are likely to remain stranded at the customs point unless the damaged road and concrete bridges are repaired. Once the rain stops, we will coordinate with government agencies to reopen the road,” said Lalchan.

With other border points with China closed, preparations had been made to manage increased imports through the Korala border point, including deploying additional personnel.

Rasuwagadhi has remained completely closed since the floods of Bhadau 10, while the Tatopani border point has also been facing difficulties. China has been seeking to establish the Korala border point as a permanent trade route.

Tejaswi Sharma, chief of the Beni-Jomsom-Korala Road Project under the Kaligandaki Corridor, said an assessment of the damage to the concrete bridge and road was under way.

“The erosion has caused extensive damage to road infrastructure. Once we complete the assessment, we will immediately begin repairs wherever possible,” said Sharma. According to Sharma, the Beni-Jomsom-Korala Project Office has also carried out repairs at various locations to facilitate the transportation of goods.

A large number of containers carrying electric vehicles, household goods, cosmetics, electrical appliances, footwear and clothes are currently stationed at a temporary yard at the Nechung Customs Office in Lomanthang Rural Municipality-4, about 14 kilometres from the border pillar and the Korala border point.

Abindra Singh, information officer at the Customs Office, said customs clearance could be affected until road access in the flood- and landslide-hit areas becomes easier.

“There is a huge pressure at the customs office. Disruption to regular road access due to floods and landslides will have some impact,” said Singh.

Electric vehicles, household goods, cosmetics, electrical appliances, footwear, clothes and other goods consumed in the Nepali market are imported through Korala. Meanwhile, a quarantine office has also been established following the start of transportation of Chinese food products, fruits and livestock through the border point.

Mustang Chief District Officer Ajita Sharma said the district administrations of Myagdi and Mustang would collect details of the damage and coordinate with the concerned agencies.

Streams in Lo-Ghekar, Lomanthang, Thasang, Gharpajhong and Baragung Muktichhetra rural municipalities of Mustang have also been disrupting transportation.

The Korala Customs Office collected Rs. 263.9 million in revenue in the first month of the current fiscal year 2026/27, in mid-July to mid-August, with the figure rising sharply to Rs. 2.8154 billion in mid-August to mid-September.

Situated at an altitude of 4,650 metres above sea level, the Korala border point handles customs clearance of imported goods before they are transported to Pokhara via the 186-kilometre Kaligandaki Corridor, Beni-Jomsom-Korala road section.

Of the 76-kilometre Beni-Jomsom road section, around 22 kilometres are at high risk of floods and landslides. The steep terrain, underground water and weak geological formation make the area vulnerable to floods, landslides and river erosion. The disruptions are also expected to affect the transportation of apples produced in Mustang during the festival season.

By Harikrishna Sharma