Birgunj Dry Port urged to operate round the clock

KATHMANDU: House of Representatives Infrastructure Development Committee Chairperson Ashish Gajurel has called for round-the-clock operation of the entry gates at the Birgunj Dry Port and the Birgunj Integrated Check Post to facilitate the movement of goods.

Gajurel and House of Representatives member Arvinda Sah, elected from Bara Constituency No. 3, recently conducted an on-site inspection of the two facilities under the Birgunj Customs Office to assess their infrastructure, management and operational procedures, according to Gajurel's Secretariat.

The lawmakers reviewed operational challenges and possible improvements following the merger of the Intermodal Transport Development Committee and the Transit and Warehousing Management Company, which currently operates the facilities.

During the inspection, they held discussions with Transit and Warehousing Management Company Assistant Manager Kamal Gyawali, Pristine Valley Chief Executive Officer Rajiv Mohan Jha, whose company operates the dry port, and Ganesh Prasad Ghimire, Manager of TRS Logipark, the operator of the integrated check post.

Gajurel urged the operating companies to ensure the entry gates remain open 24 hours a day. He also stressed the need for better utilisation of railway infrastructure, more systematic train operations and smoother cargo transportation, according to his Secretariat.

Noting the railway's importance in supplying chemical fertilisers to Nepal, Gajurel suggested customs procedures related to fertiliser imports be simplified, expedited and better organised.

Officials informed the visiting lawmakers that the Birgunj Dry Port receives an average of 110 freight trains each month, while around 800 cargo vehicles pass through the Integrated Check Post daily.