The government plans to issue a tender in a week for the upgradation of the Galchhi-Syafrubesi Road that was damaged badly by last year’s earthquake. The road reaches Rasuwagadhi from Syafrubesi.

Considering the possibility that the Rasuwagadhi road could the main trade route between Nepal and China, with the future of the Tatopani border point hanging in the balance, the government plans to upgrade it into a two-lane blacktopped road within the next two years.

Although the road can afford two-way operation of vehicles, it is not yet a standard two-lane road, according to officials at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport.

“Currently, design for upgrading the road is being finalised. I think the tender will be issued within a week,” said Devendra Karki, joint secretary at the ministry.

Of the 82km road, about 12km section needs track opening and the government has decided to mobilise the Nepal Army for the purpose. 

The road is one of the projects prioritised by the government it its policies and programmes for the next fiscal year. A five-year strategic 

plan unveiled recently by the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has termed the road as “important”.

“Following the road’s upgradation, it will ease trade with China,” said Karki. The upgraded road will be seven-metre wide, according to the Department of Road.

The government has not said how much budget will be allocated for the project, but has said it will make available necessary resources to complete the task in the next two years. Several parts of the road were damaged by the earthquake. The debris were cleared with Chinese assistance.

Dayakanta Jha, spokesperson for the Department of Roads, said the quake debris have been completely removed. “Now, the upgradation works will be easier,” he said.

The government also aims at developing the road as “north-south corridor”. As per the Five-Year Strategic Plan of the government, the road will be extended to Parsa’s Thori via Malekhu and Bhandara. Total length from Rasuwagadhi to Thori is 188km.

With the Chinese side’s reluctant to open the Tatopani border citing geographical vulnerability of the bordering Chinese town of Khasa, the Rasuwagadhi road is expected to gain more importance in the days to come.

China is also extending its railway service to Keyrong, the bordering Chinese town from Rasuwagadhi within 2020, which will further boost the road’s significance.