A landslide at Ikhu in Bhotekoshi Rural Municipality-2 has blocked the Kodari section of the Tatopani border road for the past 10 days, severing road links and disrupting imports from China. With the road impassable, porters are carrying goods across the landslide site to reach customs yards.

The landslide, located about two kilometers from the Miteri Bridge towards Kathmandu, has left traders struggling to transport perishable goods such as apples, mangoes, grapes, garlic, and onions, which have begun to rot. According to trader Sharada Prasad Parajuli, 28 container loads have already been carried across since Saturday, costing around Rs 130,000 per container in porter wages.

Tatopani Customs Office said the obstruction has reduced revenue collection to just 36 percent of the monthly target. Customs Officer Surya Kafle noted that repeated road blockages since May have hampered trade. Many containers loaded with goods remain stranded on the Chinese side in Kerung warehouses after floods shut down the Rasuwagadhi crossing, forcing importers to rely solely on Tatopani.

Bhotekoshi-2 Chair Kumar Shrestha said clearing the landslide is challenging due to flowing mud and the settlement above the site. Pilgrims traveling to Mansarovar are also crossing the site on foot. Sindhupalchok Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chair Buddharaj Basnet warned that if the road is not reopened soon, goods imported for the Dashain and Tihar festivals will not reach markets on time, leading to shortages and higher prices.

The Charikot Road Division Office is working to clear the debris using excavators, but frequent mudslides and unstable terrain continue to block the road. Over 30 houses in Kodari village remain at risk from the same landslide. Local authorities had earlier submitted a memorandum to Physical Infrastructure and Transport Minister Devendra Dahal, seeking urgent intervention, but no concrete measures have yet been taken to control the slide or open an alternative route.