KATHMANDU, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The distance between Nepal's capital Kathmandu and Nepal-China border town Rasuwagadhi has been shortened by 25 kilometers after Nepal Army (NA) handed over an alternative 17-km road section to Department of Road on Sunday, the NA said.

The NA handed over the Mailung-Syaphrubesi road section to the Department of Road, a body under Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport amid a function.

The section replaced the original Betrawati-Dhunche-Syaphrubesi section, cutting the distance significantly, the NA said. Distance between Kathmandu and Rasuwagadhi is 145 km through the original route.

Nepali Defense Minister Ishwar Pokharel inaugurated the handing over ceremony where there was also the presence of Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Raghubir Mahaseth.

NA Spokesperson Brigadier General Gokul Bhandaree told Xinhua on Sunday that the army had completed the track opening of the double-lane road section last month.

"This will ease transportation of both passengers and goods and cut travel time," he said, adding that Nepali traders doing business with China would greatly benefited from it.

The Kathmandu-Rasuwagadhi road is the main inland route of trade between Nepal and China that replaced the non-operational Kathmandu-Tatopani route damaged by the deadly earthquake on April 25, 2015 in Nepal.

The NA had taken the responsibility of constructing the road section after the earthquake damaged the original road section badly.

"Due to tough terrain it took time to complete the work, but we completed the task within the set deadline for us," said Bhandaree.