KATHMANDU: Vehicle imports from China have nearly come to a halt due to obstructions in roads to the country’s two main trade routes—Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani.
Rasuwagadhi, the largest entry point for electric vehicle (EV) imports from China, has remained closed since July 8 after floods washed away the Friendship Bridge and adjoining road that connects Nepal and China. Imports from this route have come to a halt since the devastating floods.
Tatopani, the second trade route with China, has proven unreliable due to monsoon rains. Even light rainfall triggers landslides at Ikhu in Sindhupalchok along the Kodari Highway. Earlier this monsoon, the customs point remained closed for three straight weeks. This severely affected bilateral trade through the Tatopani customs.
Meanwhile, construction of a new Friendship Bridge is underway at Rasuwagadhi. China is working to open the border crossing by installing a Bailey bridge. The bridge construction, however, will take at least three weeks, according to the District Administration Office, Rasuwa.
Even if the bridge is completed, the road from Rasuwagadhi to Syabrubesi is in a dilapidated state, with about 300 meters of new track yet to be cleared.
Dashain, the country’s biggest festival, is only 25 days away. However, automobile dealers have been unable to import cars from China. Most of the automobile distributors have received good bookings during the recently held NAIMA Nepal Mobility Expo and the NADA Auto Show. They fear they will not be able to deliver cars as promised to the consumers. Some companies have not even attempted to move shipments from China due to the roadblocks.
“Our cars have already reached the Chinese customs office at Tatopani. But since the road is in a dilapidated condition, we cannot bring them to Kathmandu,” Kiran Shrestha, Deputy General Manager of Shangrila Motors – the authorized distributor of Leapmotor and JAC Motors, among others, told MeroAuto.
Sunil Kshetri, General Manager of Paramount Motors, echoed Shrestha. “Our MG IM6 shipments have arrived on the Nepal side of the border. But we are not in a position to transport the cars to Kathmandu. We are hopeful that the road will open before Dashain so that we can deliver to our customers who have booked,” he added.
Cimex Inc, which launched BYD Atto 1 and Atto 2 at the two auto shows, has received strong bookings for both cars. However, these cars cannot be brought to Kathmandu until the roads reopen.
Problems with new models
The disruption is particularly affecting the delivery of new models unveiled during recent auto shows. This is because cars launched earlier in the year are still in stock at many dealerships. Customers can easily get delivery of cars like the MG S5, BYD Dolphin, Nammi 01, Leapmotor C10 and Deepal S07. However, dealers say that options, such as preferred colors, are becoming increasingly limited.
“We have MG S5s available for sale, but if a customer insists on a specific color, we may not be able to meet that request since most of the units imported in April have already been sold,” said Kshetri of Paramount Motors.
Concerns ahead of festival season
Around 40% of Nepal’s annual car sales take place in the October-November period when the country celebrates three important festivals – Dashain, Tihar and Chhath. Importers fear they will incur significant losses if they are unable to deliver vehicles during this crucial period.
Dealers also fear customers might switch to other brands if the car of choice is not available. That is why dealers fear that supply disruptions caused by road closures could directly translate into lost sales during the peak festive season.
