Traders cheer as Nepal route reopens

Movement of passenger vehicles between India and Nepal along the Panitanki-Kakarvitta route has resumed on Friday after a gap of 20 months.

The development has come as a major relief for around 1,200 traders who are based in Panitanki, located around 35km from here. Their business had taken a hit after the movement of people through the international border was suspended following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in March last year.

During this period, only vehicles carrying goods were allowed to move through the border.

A few weeks back, the traders had hit the streets and demonstrated on Asian Highway II, demanding the resumption of the movement of people along the route.