KATHMANDU: Around 1,500 electric vehicles (EVs) have been imported through the Korala checkpoint in Mustang within a month, generating nearly Rs 3 billion in customs revenue.
According to the Mustang Customs Office, a total of 1,498 EV units were imported from China between September 15 and October 1, the highest volume recorded from any Chinese checkpoint this year.
With the main trade routes through Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi closed due to monsoon damage, importers began routing shipments through the Korala border from mid-September.
Customs Chief Ramesh Khadka said all imported EVs have been cleared and inspected. “Since the customs office in Nhechung resumed full operation at the end of Bhadra, EVs have been arriving in large numbers. In just 34 days, 1,498 units were imported and all have been inspected,” he told MeroAuto.
Popular EV models such as BYD Atto 1, Atto 2, Atto 3, Jaecoo J5, J6, Leapmotor B10 and Omoda E5 were brought through the Korala border.
Alongside vehicles, 497 cargo containers carrying clothes, electronics, cosmetics, and other goods also entered Nepal during the same period, while seven containers of local products and handicrafts were exported to China.
The customs office collected Rs 2.84 billion in revenue within a month from imports and exports. The Automatic System of Custom Data (ASYCUDA) has been installed at the Mustang Customs Office, and customs payments can now be made through Prabhu Bank in Lomanthang.
Imports through Korala gained momentum after landslides and floods closed the Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani checkpoints. Despite higher transport costs via Korala, importers have favored it as a cheaper alternative to shipping goods through India.
Currently, the Tatopani route has resumed partial operation, while Rasuwagadhi is expected to reopen soon after Tihar as work on a temporary Bailey bridge nears completion. Once both checkpoints are fully operational, imports through Korala are expected to decline.
