Arniko highway reopens after over three-month

The Araniko Highway – that links Nepal with northern neighbour – reopened today after being blocked for more than 100 days.
The 114-km highway – which suffered severe damage due to the landslides triggered by the torrential rainfall after the devastating earthquakes on April 25 – reopened after five-day joint operation of Chinese armed police officers and the Nepali Army, police and Armed Police Force.
Addressing a reopening ceremony here in Kathmandu foreign minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey said that the reopening of the highway has provided a deep sense of relief as it will facilitate smooth movement of vehicles that will help revive trade and tourism between the two countries.
"The highway connects the two countries," he said, adding that the government highly appreciates the dedication and hard work of the armed police officers in making this operation successful in a very short period of time.
The Chinese team came to Nepal on August 1 to clear the 37-km Tatopani-Khadichaur stretch of the highway. China had dispatched 100 armed police officers, after Nepal requested China for help. Earlier, it was estimated to take around 20 days, but the joint team cleared 41 spot of blockades within five days.
Chinese ambassador to Nepal Wu Chuntai, on the occasion, said that China is willing to go all out to help Nepal in its reconstruction efforts. "Natural disasters like earthquakes and landslides go beyond the border," he said, adding that the Chinese people sympathise with Nepal's sufferings in the earthquakes and their aftermath.
Since last over 100 days, the imports from China could not reach Kathmandu directly through Arniko Highway due to clockades. The blockades on the section of Nepal-China inland route has forced traders to import the goods through Kolkata port – paying higher transportation costs – via India. The higher transportation cost has pushed the prices of the goods up. The traders said that the current situation, if continues, the prices are bound to rise this festive season. Nepal imports different goods including readymade garment, footwears, cosmetics, machinery parts and hardware products, fruits and electronics, from China.
The prices of Chinese goods will go up also as another trade route – Rasuwagadhi – between the two countries – that was formally opened on December 2, 2014 – has been closed lately. 
According to Nepal Trans-Himalayan Border Commerce Association, there were some 400 to 500 containers laden with goods along Nepal-China border.