October 5: Chief Minister of Gandaki Province, Surendra Raj Pandey, said  that preparations have been completed to open the Korala cross-border checkpoint in Mustang.

During a recent visit to Pillar no 24, located at the border between Mustang and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, Chief Minister Pandey emphasized the urgent need for constructing physical infrastructure at the Mustang border, as infrastructure toward Tibet has already been developed.

CM Pandey revealed that discussions have taken place with the federal government, Prime Minister, and relevant ministries to facilitate the opening of the Korala checkpoint.

The government is focused on improving the road leading to the Korala checkpoint to ensure regular vehicle movement. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the trade fair, held biannually at the Korala checkpoint, has not taken place since 2076 BS.

Additionally, Chief District Officer of Mustang, Janak Raj Pandey, mentioned that Chinese officials are willing to open the checkpoint, and talks with them are scheduled.

There are also plans to permit cross-border movement for residents living within approximately 30 kilometers of the checkpoint based on identity card verification.

Following an inspection of the checkpoint, meetings were conducted by the Gandaki Province-level security committee and Mustang district-level security committee in Korala.

A delegation consisting of Chief Minister Pandey, federal parliament members, and province assembly members visited more than 10 bordering villages, engaging in discussions with locals about the status of provincial government projects, the budget allocation for the current fiscal year, and addressing the concerns of the residents, said Narahari Sapkota. (RSS)