Rasuwa flooding damaged the key Rasuwagadhi crossing, pushing Kailash-Manasarovar pilgrims towards Tatopani and Hilsa…reports Asian Lite News Desk
Severe flooding in Nepal’s Rasuwa district has disrupted passenger movement between Nepal and China, forcing Kailash-Manasarovar pilgrims and other travellers to use alternative border crossings.
The August 26 flood swept through areas around the Rasuwagadhi crossing, damaging critical infrastructure, including the immigration office, the Department of Immigration said in a statement on Monday.
With Rasuwagadhi disrupted, passengers travelling between Nepal and China have been redirected mainly through Tatopani in Sindhupalchok district and Hilsa in Humla.
The disruption has particularly affected pilgrims travelling to Mount Kailash in Tibet, China. Rasuwagadhi is one of the key northern gateways for the pilgrimage, and a large majority of pilgrims travelling to Kailash-Manasarovar through Nepal are Indian nationals.
The scale of the disaster has also raised concerns over people travelling through the affected area. According to Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, the floods and related devastation had killed 1,395 people, while 5,130 remained missing as of Monday evening.
Immigration figures showed that 3,904 passengers entered Nepal through Tatopani between August 26 and September 14, including 1,733 women. During the same period, 391 passengers departed Nepal for China through the crossing.
Many of those using Tatopani and Hilsa were pilgrims and visitors returning from Tibet. This included passengers who had travelled from Nepal to China through Rasuwagadhi and later returned after visiting Tibet, including those undertaking the Kailash-Manasarovar pilgrimage.
At Hilsa, 387 passengers entered Nepal during the period, including 165 who had previously departed Nepal for China through Rasuwagadhi. Another 178 passengers departed Nepal for China through Hilsa.
Indian, British and US citizens were among the largest groups of foreign nationals using the two alternative crossings, according to immigration authorities.
The figures underline the growing importance of Tatopani and Hilsa in maintaining passenger movement between Nepal and China following the disruption at Rasuwagadhi.
The Department of Immigration said it was coordinating with relevant government agencies to facilitate movement through the alternative border points and ensure effective immigration management.
There are currently four routes to Kailash-Manasarovar through Nepal — the Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi land crossings, Hilsa and the Kathmandu-Lhasa air route.
Indian nationals account for the largest share of pilgrims travelling to Kailash-Manasarovar through Nepal. The pilgrimage resumed last year after a five-year suspension following tensions between India and China triggered by the 2020 Galwan Valley clash.
The quota for Indian pilgrims travelling through Nepal was 20,000 last year. China has increased the quota to 24,000 Indian passport holders for the current pilgrimage season.
India also facilitates the pilgrimage through the disputed Lipulekh Pass and Nathu La Pass in Sikkim, but limits the annual number of pilgrims using these routes to 1,000 — 500 through each crossing.
As a result, the vast majority of Indian pilgrims continue to travel privately through Nepal.
