June 8: Chief Minister of Sikkim State government of India Prem Singh Tamang has repoetedly shown interest to open the Nepal-India border at Chiwabhanjyang checkpoint.    
In his visit to Chiwabhanjyang on Tuesday, CM Tamang shared the state government has been effortful to open the checkpoint in a way to benefit both Nepal and India, the state-owned RSS of Nepal reported.    
“I am trying my best to explore the checkpoint so as to reap mutual benefits from Chiwa,” RSS quoted the chief minister of Sikkim as saying.

“I have been frequently raising the issue in the assembly of policy commission (Niti Ayog).”   
CM Tamang further shared that discussion was also held with central government of India regarding the opening and operation of the checkpoint.    
“The central government is positive about the issue,” he noted. In order to develop the Chiwabhanjyang as a checkpoint, the Sikkim state government has expanded 22-km road from Uttar Bazaar to Chiwabhanjyang with an investment of INR 560 million.    
The Mid-Hill Highway of Nepal had reached the Chiwabhanjyang a decade ago. The origin of the highway is also Chiwabhanjyang.    
The Sikkim state government has made efforts to open the checkpoint at a time when locals Panchthar, including Yangwarak Rural Municipality, have demanded the opening of the Chiwabhanjyang transit point located in Yangwarak-1, Panchthar.    
According to RRSS, CM Tamanag further stressed the need to formally open the checkpoint when people from Nepal and Sikkim have been using the territory for cross-border movement. He highlighted the necessity to develop Chiwabhanjyang as a bilateral contact point of Nepal and Sikkim. -