KATHMANDU, July 12: The Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN), the umbrella organization of mountain tourism operators, has said that pilgrims heading to Kailash Mansarovar are facing severe difficulties after the Nepal–China Friendship Bridge was washed away.
In a statement issued on Friday, TAAN General Secretary Sonam Gyaltzen Sherpa said that the bridge collapsed due to flooding in the Lehende River on Tuesday morning, disrupting the route for pilgrims traveling to Kailash Mansarovar.
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TAAN stated that with the destruction of the Friendship Bridge, both Nepali and foreign pilgrims and tourists planning to travel to Kailash Mansarovar via Rasuwagadhi and into the Tibet Autonomous Region of China have been unable to proceed. The TAAN has urged the government to immediately initiate diplomatic efforts with China to facilitate alternative routes through Tatopani, Korala, Hilsa, and other border points.
TAAN President Sagar Pandey also called on the government to ensure easy and timely availability of passports to pilgrims and tourists at the onset of the Kailash Manasarovar travel season.
He further requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to work with the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu to make the visa process faster, more efficient and traveler-friendly, and to create an environment where pilgrims waiting in Kathmandu can soon begin their Kailash journey.
TAAN extended heartfelt condolences to those who lost their lives in the recent floods and called on the government to expedite search operations for the missing.
