November 21: Indian officials have assured to reopen the Bailey Bridge over Pramana River in Mirgunj, India, within 15 days. The delay in opening of the bridge has become a headache for Nepali businessmen as they have to rely on longer route for trade with India.
The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu gave such assurance to the Morang Merchants’ Association. The bridge is located 4 kilometers west of the Biratnagar-Jogwani border checkpoint. India is yet to open the traffic even though the Bailey Bridge, which collapsed 10 months ago, had been repaired already. As a result, Nepali entrepreneurs are compelled to re-route goods imported from Indian and third and also pay extra freight charge.
Keeping this problem in mind, Gopal Agarwal, executive member of the Morang Merchants’ Association, submitted a memorandum to Deputy Chief of Mission of the Indian Embassy Prasanna Srivastava and Chief of Commerce SumanShekhar to open the bridge immediately. In response, the embassy officials provided assurance about opening the bridge within 15 days.
The damaged Bailey Bridge has already been repaired along with a concrete bridge on the newly built four-lane road 200 meters north of it. The four-lane road leads from Bihar's road network to the Nepal-India Integrated Checkpoint (ICP). However, despite repeated requests to the Indian side, the bridge is still closed.
The association has been drawing the attention of the high-ranking officials of India, requesting for the bridge be operated as soon as possible. However, they have only been giving assurances. Agarwal, also handed over a letter signed by the association’s president Naveen Rijal to the embassy officials.
When the goods that have arrived near the customs are re-routed and brought back to the Biratnagar customs from Bhantabari via Sunsari, they have to travel 116 km more. The industrialists of Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor have been complaining that they have to pay Rs 250,000 more as freight charge every day when the goods are re-routed and brought into the country.
