Heavy snowfall accompanied by continuous rainfall has disrupted movement through the Hilsa-Taklakot border point in Humla, leaving 41 Nepali nationals stranded at Hilsa. According to Bimal Paudel, Immigration Officer at Hilsa, the stranded individuals are residents of Namkha Rural Municipality-1, 2 and 3 in Humla.
Most of them are involved in trade and business activities in Taklakot, Tibet, and had reached Humla last Friday. However, they were unable to proceed toward their destinations after heavy snowfall began in the border area. The disruption has affected regular movement between Hilsa and Taklakot, with deteriorating weather conditions making travel difficult across the high-altitude border region.
Kailash Mansarovar Movement Suspended Due to Snowfall
Movement for pilgrims travelling toward Mount Kailash and Mansarovar has also been suspended by the Chinese side following the heavy snowfall. According to Pema Lama, an immigration employee stationed at Hilsa, the Chinese authorities have indicated that the border is expected to reopen from October 4 (Ashwin 18), subject to weather and road conditions. The closure has affected not only pilgrims but also traders, local residents and others dependent on cross-border movement through the Hilsa-Taklakot route.
Clearing the Road to Humla Remains a Major Challenge
Although authorities on the Chinese side have begun efforts to clear the road, restoring road access from the Nepali side is expected to take additional time. Deputy Superintendent of Police Nanda Bahadur Saud of Nepal Armed Police Force No. 44 Gulm, Humla, said that approximately two to two-and-a-half feet of snow has accumulated in the Hilsa area. He said clearing the route is particularly challenging because travellers must cross Nara Lek to reach Humla. The heavy accumulation of snow at the high-altitude pass means additional time and resources will be required to reopen the road.
According to Saud, there is only one excavator available in the Hilsa area for snow and road clearance operations. The availability of fuel has also emerged as an additional challenge, further slowing efforts to restore transportation. Local residents and security personnel have been working together to remove accumulated snow and reopen the road. However, the difficult terrain, heavy snowfall and limited equipment continue to make the clearance operation challenging.
6,010 Tourists Visited Kailash Mansarovar Through Hilsa This Year
Despite the disruption, a total of 6,010 tourists have travelled through the Hilsa border point to visit Kailash Mansarovar so far this year. Immigration Officer Paudel said the majority of tourists travelling to Kailash Mansarovar through Hilsa were Indian nationals. Tourists from the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as Nepali citizens, also made up a portion of the visitors. The Hilsa route is an important gateway for pilgrims travelling to the Kailash Mansarovar region, particularly during the main pilgrimage season.
Snowfall Disrupts Border Trade and Local Life
The heavy snowfall has occurred toward the end of the main Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage season, affecting movement through the Hilsa border as well as local trade and daily life in the remote border area. With the road connection disrupted and the border crossing temporarily affected, traders and residents dependent on cross-border movement have faced additional difficulties.
Authorities and local residents are continuing efforts to clear the accumulated snow and restore road connectivity. The resumption of regular movement will depend largely on weather conditions and the progress of road-clearance operations on both sides of the border.
