China on Friday submitted the progress report on the first phase of maintenance of the Araniko Highway to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport.

The 114 km highway from Kathmandu to Tatopani of Sindhupalchok district was damaged at five different places by the earthquake of April 25, 2015, disrupting vehicular movement.

The highway was repaired with a Chinese grant assistance equivalent to Rs 760 million. Chinese Ambassador Yu Hong handed over the progress report to Dhana Bahadur Tamang, the secretary at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, at a ceremony held at the ministry on Friday.

Ambassador Yu said the highway repair was one of several areas that China was assisting Nepal to recover after the devastating earthquake. Bishnu Om Bade, the joint secretary at the ministry, said discussions were on whether to seek Chinese assistance to repair the remaining section of the highway.

Although the highway was repaired at different places following the Gorkha Earthquake, the section of the highway up to the Chinese trading town of Khasa is still non-operational.

The Araniko Highway was constructed in 1960 with Chinese assistance.