The Rasuwagadhi customs point has remained closed for three months after a flood in the Lhendhe River on July 9 washed away the bridge connecting Nepal and China.

Construction of a new Bailey bridge over the river is still incomplete, and the Rasuwagadhi–Syabrubesi road remains blocked, keeping Nepal’s key northern trade route shut.

According to Rasuwa Customs Office chief Tulsi Prasad Bhattarai, work to reconstruct the bridge is being carried out by the Chinese side. “The bridge is not complete yet, and the road on the Nepali side is still blocked,” he said. “Although construction is ongoing, reopening the border soon seems difficult.”

He said that if the bridge had been completed before Dashain, there was a chance the customs point could have reopened before Tihar. However, with construction progressing more slowly than expected, trade through Rasuwagadhi remains at a standstill.

Before the closure, around 100 container trucks used to pass through the border daily, bringing in goods such as electric vehicles, garments, and apples—items in high demand during the festival season. The customs point was also a major route for ready-made products from China. With the route closed, traders are now importing electric vehicles and clothing via the Korala border in Mustang.

The customs office had set a revenue collection target of Rs40.16 billion for the ongoing fiscal year. “We had aimed to collect Rs12 billion by now, but that has been impossible due to the closure,” Bhattarai said. “Since the start of the fiscal year, our revenue collection has been zero.”

He added that customs staff are currently stationed at the office with little work to do. “In previous years, revenue collection would rise sharply during festivals, but this time the situation is completely different.”

Meanwhile, the 16-kilometre road from Syabrubesi to the border has been severely affected by landslides. Several sections have collapsed, making vehicle movement nearly impossible since the flood. Krishna Nath Ojha, chief of the Galchhi–Trishuli–Mailung–Syafrubesi–Rasuwagadhi road project, said continuous landslides have kept the route obstructed.

“We are working to open the road for one-way traffic within a few days,” he said. “The section between Timure and Rasuwagadhi is filled with rocks, and it may take up to three days to clear it completely.”

Physical Infrastructure and Transport Ministry Secretary Keshav Kumar Sharma said the bridge construction is now in its final stage. “The Bailey bridge is under construction and will likely come into operation after Tihar,” he said. Sharma added that road-clearing work is also underway on the Nepali side.

The Department of Roads said rainfall in recent weeks has triggered frequent landslides, hampering repair work. “We have deployed two machines to remove the debris,” the department said. “If the weather remains dry, clearing the road will not be difficult.”

As a result, the usually busy Rasuwagadhi customs yard, crowded with trucks and traders during the festive season, now lies silent. Officials say the border point will reopen only after the bridge is completed and the road is restored for traffic.