Kathmandu. KATHMANDU: The Kodari Highway linking Tatopani, the main trade transit point with China, has come into operation since Monday afternoon. Spokesperson at the Department of Roads, Prabhat Kumar Jha, said that the road has been opened by clearing landslides at five places including Kodari and Irku of Bhotekoshi rural municipality-2 along the highway.

Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Kul Man Ghising, Secretary at the Ministry Keshav Sharma, Director General of Department of Roads Bijaya Jaishi, among other officials had made an on-site monitoring of the road and took stock of the condition of the road.

During the monitoring, discussions were held with the locals of Irku area most affected by the landslide and discussion on the measures to reduce the risk of settlement and long-term technical work to operate the road permanently.

Locals had obstructed the landslide clearance work after the road linking the main trade transit point with China was closed during the festival season. Following this, Minister Ghising on Wednesday called the ward chair of Bhotekoshi-2 and local leaders at his residence and urged them to help and facilitate in the opening of the road.