KAHMANDU — China has started work on reconstructing the Friendship Bridge over Bhotekoshi River at Tatopani-Zhangmu border point, which was damaged by 2015 earthquake in Nepal, according to a local official.

Ram Man Singh, secretary at bordering ward No 2 of Bhotekoshi Rural Municipality in Sindhupalchowk district of Nepal said on Dec 5 that the Chinese side has started work on reconstructing the Friendship Bridge from this week.

“This has given us hope that the border will be reopened soon,” he said.

The border point has remained closed since the deadly quake occurred. According to Singh, the closure of the border point has brought the economic activities in the areas to a standstill as it is the main trade route between the two countries.

After the earthquake damaged the bridge, China had built a temporary bridge near the previous one to deliver the imported goods stuck on the Chinese side to Nepal after the quake.

China has also been assisting Nepal to rebuild damaged roads around the area and a dry port at Larcha, around six kilometers inward in Nepal to conduct bilateral trade.

Government offices of the Nepali side, including customs office, quarantine office and immigration office, will be relocated after the dry port was built.

“Construction works at the dry port has reached the final stage,” said Singh.

China has also been rebuilding a road that connects border point and the dry port, Krishna Bahadur Basnet, chief customs officer at Tatopani Customs, said on Dec 5.