The Syaphrubesi–Rasuwagadhi road connecting China will be closed for 45 days over the next three months, beginning Wednesday, for upgradation.

The Road Project Office under the Galchhi–Trishuli–Mailung–Syaphrubesi–Rasuwagadhi road, in a notice, said retaining walls will be constructed at 10 difficult sections along the road.

According to the project, the road will be closed for three months, from the 1st to the 15th of each month, along the stretch from the southern bridge of Syaphrubesi to the Rasuwagadhi section connecting Nepal and China.

Due to geographical challenges, work is being carried out by closing the road, said project chief Krishna Nath Ojha of the Road Project Office in Bidur. Flood-induced landslides on July 8, 2025, damaged the road at several points, prompting authorities to open only a 2.5 to 3-metre track for limited traffic. The Bhotekoshi river eroded the road in several areas, requiring cliff cutting to allow basic widening.

Although the road is closed, the customs office will continue operating, Tulasi Prasad Bhattarai, Chief Officer of the Rasuwagadhi Customs Office. “When the road is closed, cargo vehicles from Nepal cannot travel to China,” he said. “Likewise, goods from the other side cannot reach the customs yard.”

He said that the roughly 4-kilometre stretch from the border to the customs yard is difficult, with three major landslide-prone areas.

“The road is now being upgraded to a two-lane standard,” Ojha said. “Initially, work will begin in the most difficult sections.”

He said the work is being carried out at the request of the Chinese team. “The road will remain open when work is underway in easier sections. The stretch will be closed to address more difficult sections," he said, adding that China is supplying machinery and additional materials.

The upgrade work began seven years after an agreement was signed between Nepal and China. The implementation agreement to upgrade the road was signed in 2019 under a Chinese government grant. However, the project faced delays due to multiple factors, including the Covid-19 pandemic, and issues such as tax exemptions on construction materials like stones, gravel and sand, as well as imported goods from China.

After the Ministry of Finance approved tax exemptions, the Chinese team resumed work.

The 15.5 kilometres project has been awarded to a Chinese company, 'Thiyanalu', with a contract worth Rs 6.5 billion and a completion deadline of 39 months.

As a key trade route connecting Nepal with China, the road has narrowed due to flood and landslide damage, forcing cargo vehicles to travel under risky conditions from the Rasuwagadhi border to Syaphrubesi.

Before the monsoon, about 100 cargo vehicles used to enter Nepal daily with goods, with a similar heading to China. Currently, around 30 to 35 cargo vehicles travel in each direction daily. The route mainly imports goods, including a large number of electric vehicles. Recently, machinery and equipment for hydropower projects have also been transported.

The route was disrupted after the floods in the Lhende river washed away a bridge on July 8, 2025. The border resumed operations after nearly six months, following the construction of a temporary Bailey bridge by China.

The disruption has affected revenue collection. From July 17, 2025, to March 30, 2026, only Rs 6.069 billion in revenue was collected, said Bhattarai. “The target was Rs 40.16 billion,” he said. “Due to the prolonged closure and the upcoming road shutdown, meeting the target is unlikely.”

He also said that cargo movement through the border has declined over the past two days following the closure notice.

After the road closure, traders are expected to use alternative routes such as the Tatopani border in Sindhupalchok and the Korala border in Mustang.