Over 2,500 EVs remain stranded in Mustang after Beni-Jomsom road damage

MUSTANG: More than 2,500 electric vehicles (EVs) that entered Nepal via the Korala border point over the past two weeks remain stranded in Mustang. The vehicles are unable to move as floods, landslides, and river erosion following heavy rain in late August damaged the Beni-Jomsom road.

Although the Beni-Jomsom route reopened on Friday evening, authorities say the road is still difficult to negotiate, preventing the vehicles from continuing to their destinations.

The Armed Police Force Border Outpost at Nhechung, Lomanthang Rural Municipality-4, near the Nepal-China border, reported that more than 2,000 EVs are parked in the open area and in the Mustang customs yard at Nhechung. Additionally, over 500 EVs that cleared customs at Korala and were brought down to Jomsom are parked at two sites in the area.

BYD representative Deepak Budhathoki said the reopened road remained precarious and that more than 2,000 BYD vehicles of various models that entered via the Korala border have been stuck in Mustang since the route was blocked by heavy rain.

Police Inspector and Information Officer Santosh Basyal said more than 600 containers carrying goods imported through the Korala border had left the district for their destinations by Monday. He added that, as previously held containers moved out, some empty containers were sent back up to the Korala border to collect further consignments.

(With inputs from RSS)