Korala. When Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak inaugurated the immigration office at Korala border on November 14, the locals were hopeful that the economic activities through korala border would increase.
However, the service, which was closed within a few days after the inauguration, has not started even after May. Local traders have been affected due to the lack of operation of the immigration office for a long time. The immigration office on the Nepal side has been locked.
There is uncertainty as to when the office will come into operation. Customs as well as necessary animal and food quarantine has not been established for the operation of the checkpoint. Quarantine operation is necessary for the customs office to come into operation.
Locals complain that the government is not active in the operation of korlana. Chairman of Lomanthang Rural Municipality, Tasi Nyaharbu Gurung, said that although it was expected that it would be easier to cross the border and conduct business transactions after the inauguration of the immigration office, it has not been done.
According to him, the security arrangements at the checkpoint are also not good. In the absence of infrastructure other than a tin-covered four-room building in Nepal on the south side of the border point, there is no situation for people to stop there. So much so that there is no place to rain. “Though there is a police post (the last post in the area) at Nhechung, which is 13 kilometers ahead of the checkpoint, the presence of police at the checkpoint is weak,” he said.
Due to lack of infrastructure at the checkpoint and high-speed cold winds, it is difficult to stay for a long time. Therefore, the police personnel have been going to the checkpoint in the morning and returning in the evening. There is a provision for a well-equipped immigration office, customs and security personnel on the Chinese side. “The government has not made arrangements for general tents, there is no building for security personnel, electricity has not reached even though there is an electricity pole,” he said, adding, “The people of Lomanthang and Lo-Ghekar Damodarkunda rural municipalities of Mustang would have benefited if the border points could be operated effectively by constructing infrastructure.” He said they were facing problems due to lack of access to drinking water and landline phones at the border points.
According to Gurung, the arrival of Chinese tourists to Nepal will also be easier if the border points are made operational smoothly. “Chinese tourists are still willing to come to Nepal by spending up to $500 from China, but there is a problem as the immigration office on the Nepal side has not come into operation,” Gurung said. Jigme Angma Gurung, who has been doing business in Korala border, said that traders are forced to trade in the open ground in the absence of a building. “We are still doing business in the open ground and there will be problems when there is rain and wind,” he said, adding, “It would have been easier to do business if the government had constructed the necessary infrastructure.” Traders like him leave for China at 9 a.m. and return by 2 p.m. Locals buy daily necessities, liquor, furniture and clothing items from the Chinese market.
There is a possibility of exporting rice, flour, ragi, noodles, herbs, pashmina and other items from Nepal. Korlana is also politically important. After the earthquake of 2072 BS, there was talk of this checkpoint along with Tatopani and Kerung. Gurung believes that the region can get huge economic benefits if this checkpoint comes into operation smoothly.
According to him, there is a lot of problem due to lack of necessary infrastructure to facilitate those who do business and reach the border points. Locals of Lo-Ghekar Damodarkunda and Lomanthang rural municipalities of Upper Mustang will be allowed to go to China easily while others will be provided with special passes. Although the government has started the process of bringing 1,344 ropanis of land in the name of the customs office for the opening of an integrated customs office at Korala checkpoint for the last four years, the construction of the necessary infrastructure has not yet started.
However, it has already been demarcated and recommended for this. It is mandatory to reach Nhechung at a distance of 13 kilometers to check the goods brought from Korala border. Locals complain that Nepal has not been able to build infrastructure even though China has arranged a check pass near the border. This checkpoint is also considered suitable for visiting Kailash and Mansarovar, the center of faith of Hindus in Tibet. Dhongwasen is 40 kilometers from Lomanthang to Tibet.
Mansarovar can be reached after covering a distance of about 600 kilometers from there. According to local experts, if the border point is operated smoothly, it can become the shortest and easiest way to reach Kailash Mansarovar from Nepal.
In the last few years, domestic tourists have been reaching Korala border. There is no provision of drinking water and toilets for them. Tourists take pictures on pillar number 24 and return. Although there is access to the road to reach there, tourists return for some time due to lack of facilities to stay. According to the police in Nehechung, on an average, 300 vehicles arrive every day during the tourist arrival.
Earlier in the second week of October, a team of the Finance and Development Committee under the Gandaki State Assembly had inspected the Korala border and suggested to the government about the works to be carried out in Korala in the immediate and long-term. Among them, it was suggested that drinking water, toilets and waste management work should be done immediately. This checkpoint was completely closed in 2076 BS during the Corona epidemic.
Four years later, it came into operation on November 1, 2080. In the previous years, inter-country trade fairs were held twice a year during Baishakh-May and Dashain. But after the corona epidemic, the trade fair has not been held. At that time, the committee had suggested to make a business plan for the operation of the checkpoint and the need for physical infrastructure. Officials of both the countries have held discussions on the effective operation of the border points.
During the then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’s visit to China, there was a discussion on the operation of Korlana. The 110-km two-lane road from Jomsom to Korala checkpoint has been extended. The Gandaki state government has upgraded the road connecting Korala of China and Triveni border point of India as the fate line of the state. Economic and tourism activities are expected to increase after the construction of this road.
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