Preparations underway for full operation of Korala checkpoint: PM Oli
KATHMANDU: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Monday said preparations were underway for the full operation of Korala checkpoint in Mustang district, alongside the development of necessary infrastructure and facilities.
He made the remarks during discussions with a delegation of federal MPs representing Mustang and local level representatives at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar.
During the meeting, PM Oli recalled that he had initiated construction of Benighat–Korala road, facilitated Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Muktinath, started the process for the operation of Muktinath cable car, and prioritised construction of a Super Zone for apples and mountain goat-farming project, among other works in Mustang.
The delegation requested a reconsideration of tourism royalties, citing a decline in visitor numbers after the government declared upper Mustang – including Lomanthang and Lho-Ghekar–Damodar Kunda Rural Municipality – a prohibited area and imposed a fee of $500 per person on foreign tourists.
They also called for the tarmacking of Kagbeni–Korala section of Kaligandaki Corridor, construction of structures to fully operate the Korala checkpoint, and the establishment of physical infrastructure for customs, immigration, integrated security posts and dry ports at Korala transit point.
Elected representatives said hotels and local businesses in Upper Mustang have suffered losses due to incomplete roads, the non-operation of the checkpoint and the implementation of restricted areas.
The prime minister instructed his private secretariat to coordinate with relevant bodies to address these demands.
Days earlier, a team led by the Prime Minister’s private secretary, Binod Bahadur Kunwar, carried out a field visit to the Kaligandaki Corridor and submitted a report on initiatives needed for the operation of roads and the border checkpoint.
The delegation included federal MP Yogendra Gauchan Thakali, chairperson of Lomanthang Rural Municipality Tashinhurbu Gurung, and Lopsang Chhompel Bista.
According to the delegation, the contract for the 97-kilometre tarmacking of the Kagbeni–Korala road section is still pending, and contracts for bridges over the Tatopani, Danankhola, Pandankhola and Tangbe rivers have been terminated, prompting calls to restart work.
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