The Tatopani border point, a major trade route between Nepal and China, has remained closed since the 2015 earthquake after it suffered massive damage. 

Now, as federal and provincial elections are round the corner, resumption of trade through the border point has become the major agenda of most of the candidates. A majority of youths of Tatopani have gone abroad for employment after the busiest trade route between Nepal and China was closed. Those who had employment or owned businesses in the region were left to struggle after the border point wore a deserted look. 

Now, majority of candidates are trying to seek votes with their promise to reopen the trade route. 

Mohan Bahadur Basnet of the Nepali Congress, who is the minister for information in the incumbent government, and Agni Prasad Sapkota of the left alliance are contesting the federal elections from Sindhu-palchok- 1 under which the Tatopani area falls. For provincial assembly, For provincial assembly, Arun Nepal of the left alliance and Bishnu Bahadur Khatri of the NC are in the fray from Sindhupalchok-1 (A).

Similarly, Suresh Nepal of the left alliance and Rajendra Kumar Shrestha of the NC are contesting for provincial assembly seats from Sindhupalchok-1(B).

“I have made several efforts to resume Tatopani border point earlier. But it has not resumed due to some technical reasons,” said Basnet, adding that people have lost their employment here after the border was closed. He assured that the border point would come into operation soon after the completion of federal and provincial elections. 

Similarly, Sapkota, a CPN (Maoist Centre) leader, who is contesting as the common candidate of the left alliance, has also made resumption of the border point his main agenda for the upcoming elections. 

“Many people have gone abroad in search of jobs after the border point was closed,” said Sapkota, also a former minister for information, adding that he will try his best to resume the border point at the earliest.