December 29: The government has delayed the operation of the recently-constructed Chobhar Dry Port. Although the dry port built in 220 ropanis of land in Chobhar is ready for operation, it is not yet functional. The dry port was built with an investment of Rs 1.60 billion. Although the government was preparing to hand over the operation of the dry port to the Nepal Intermodal Transport Development Committee, no decision has been taken so far in this regard.

Similarly, the modality of operation has not been finalized and the stakeholders are yet decide on how to bring goods from across the border to Chobhar.

Executive Director of Nepal Intermodal Transport Development Committee, Ashish Gajurel, says that they are ready to operate the port if the government gives the nod. "We are ready to run it if given the responsibility," he said.

Commerce Secretary Dinesh Bhattarai said that the delay was due to the failure on part of the Department of Customs and the Ministry of Finance in preparing necessary procedures to operate the dry port.

He said that all the preparations have been completed on their behalf. “The operation is on hold as the Ministry of Finance and the Department of Customs have not prepared a clear procedure in this regard. We are urged them to prepare the procedure quickly,” he said.

According to Bhattarai, a decision will be taken soon. If the dry port comes into operation soon, traders will be able to bring goods directly to Kathmandu and this will reduce the cost of import.

Gajurel informed that there are three gates at the dry port, each exclusively slated for import, export and contingencies.    The dry port also has three buildings (customs, quarantine and administrative), three large warehouses, structures for customs purposes, container and parking area. 

There is also a container yard that can hold 500 containers and 500 trucks. The Intermodal Transport Development Committee has stated that CCTV have also been installed in the parking lot while firefighters have been stationed there.

The foundation stone of the dry port which was laid by the then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in January 2019 has been completed in about three years. Despite an agreement to complete the project in 18 months, the construction was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other reasons.

Once the dry port comes into operation, it is expected to maximize imports and facilitate export, decrease investment costs and simplify trade in general.

It would also help reduce logistics costs.

Although dry ports are only set up in the districts sharing border with India and China, the dry port of Chobhar is the first in the inner district. Dry ports are in operation in Birgunj, Biratnagar, Bhairahawa, Kakadvitta, and Tatopani, while one each in Rasuwa and Nepalgunj are also under construction.