Laxmi Capital News
Container train service to ease foreign trade via Biratnagar

A freighter train carrying 58 rakes arrived at Bathnaha,which lies five kilometer away from bordering Indian town of Jogbani, makingBiratnagar second city in the country directly receiving containers fromIndia's Kolkata port after Birgunj.

Before this, trucks were the only means of transport tocarry third-country consignments to Nepal from Indian ports like Kolkata andHaldia. Traders say use of railway container will cut down their transport costby up to 40 percent. This means third-country goods coming to Nepal will becheaper.

The new facility became possible following the launch ofa bilateral pilot project named 'Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS)'.

Traders say the transportation cost will come downfurther after once the under-construction railway line connecting Bathnaha ofIndian to Integrated Check Post (ICP) of Biratganar-18 comes into operation.

AbinashBohra, a member of Federation of Nepalese Chambersof Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), said that the transport costs will come downby 40 percent. 
The cost to transport goods to Kolkata from Biratnagar is Rs 6 per kilometer.The new transport cost using railway will come around Rs 3.6 perkilometer. 

Bohra also emphasized the need to expedite constructionwork of Biratnagar ICP as well as the railway line between Bathnaha andKatahari of Morang via the ICP.   
Traders and industrialists of Province 1 also say that transport of goods viarailway will be faster as well as safer and that they no longer have to worryabout security of the consignments.

“Export and import via railway container will also helpin trade promotion in entire province,” RajendraRaut, FNCCI's vice presidentfor Province 1, said. 
Traders also say that the new transport facility ends unwanted hassles ofpaying different charges on the way while importing goods. Also, containerswill no longer lie stranded on the way in case trucks break down. 

“Similar arrangement will be made for import of goods viaBhairahawa and Rupaidiya trade in the near future,” Commerce Secretary ChandraGhimire told.

Source : My Republica, 2nd May 2018

 

 

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