China's Tibet, Nepal to resume Lhasa-Kathmandu direct bus service

KATHMANDU - China's Tibet autonomous region and Nepal have agreed to work toward resuming Lhasa-Kathmandu direct bus service after decade-long gap.

During the 9th meeting of the Joint Tourism Coordination Committee (JTCC) between Nepal and TAR that concluded here on Tuesday, two sides signed a 16-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) which included resuming direct bus service between the two cities.

The bus link between the two cities, which was launched in May 2005, has failed to move forward since 2006 due to various reasons, including visa related issues.

"Two sides agreed to resolve issues such as carrier company, stopping and starting stations, safety, ticket-sale among others so as to promote China-Nepal direct bus service," Laxman Sharma, director at Department of Tourism of Nepal told Xinhua.

As per the MoU, both sides agreed to explore possibilities of increasing frequency of scheduled flights in Kathmandu-Lhasa-Kathmandu sector with reasonable fair, and to enhance cooperation among their travel-trade associations.

They will initiate dialogue to make uniform rules and regulations regarding age limit, disabilities among others in climbing bordering mountains.

As per the MoU, both sides agreed on conducting helicopter rescue and evacuations in emergencies during mountaineering and trekking periods after securing required approval of related authorities of their respective governments.

As per the agreement, the two sides will work to develop trans-boundary tourism cooperation between Pulan county, Tibet and bordering Nepalese district Humla under the Mt Kailash Sacred Landscape Program. During the Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's visit to China in March, China had agreed to construct Friendship Bridge in bordering Hilsa over Karnali river so as to construct route for trade and other economic purposes.

The Chinese delegation from Tibet was led by Vice Director General of the Tibet Tourism Development Committee Ga Ma Ze Deng and Nepalese delegation was led by Director General at the Department of Tourism Sudarshan Prasad Dhakal.