Cropping The Transit Cost


As it’s known to us, Nepal has great physical diversity, ranging from the Terai–northern rim of the Gangetic Plain situated at approximately 70 to 300 meters above sea level in the south–to the 8,848 meter high Mount Everest in the north and no direct sea access from any corner at all. Owing to such geographical proximity, Transportation has been coming up as the most costly and crucial task  either within Domestic territory or for International market. For international trade, it has no direct road or sea access to any part of the world except India & China. Nepal is almost  dependent on India for transit facilities and access to the sea, that is Bay of Bangal, which is around 700 kms away from nearest Nepalese boarder. For Domestic trade, even Road access is inadequate, Particularly Mountainous region, which lies above the altitude of 4,877,  has been being a challenging task for transportation. Within such paradoxical situation, cropping even single penny in Transit Cost seems big matter for Nepalese Business Community.   Day time dreaming with widely open eyes isn’t bad at all. After all, any success story begins from such dreaming only.  Couple of  decades back, we had dreamt about Dry port at various Nepalese Boarder, Road access with Bangladesh, well-structured Tatopani- Khasa Custom Check post, Tatopani Dry Port etc. Intellectuals by majority  had started doubting about it. Ultimately dreams one by one are turning into fact. However, all projects still need serious measures to bring in full swing. In any case, we can’t ignore the fact that these projects came us  as the serious initiation to crop the transit cost of Nepalese Cargo. Tatopani Dry port (Rail/ road accessible to the commercial Cities of China)  additional trading rout between China & Nepal( via Kerung up to Rasuwagadi),  Upgradation of  Biratnagar&Bhairhawa Dry ports, Extention of Railway trek from Dry Port uptoAmlekhganj, well built  highways in each & every corner of the country, Tunnel Highway, Bagmati Corridor etcetc,  these are the thousands dreams, which  have been floating on air from several years.  In fact, these dreams may extend revolutionary effect in our International Business.  Till now, these dreams have been tagging behind us. From now on, Let’s learn to tag behind these dreams.     One decade back, then Prime Minister of India  had formally launched an idea to enhance regional cooperation connecting  SAARC  Countries by road/ rail. Few years back, India once had shown it’s aspiration to use Nepalese Land as in transit point for Indo China business. These days, concept of road/ rail transportation between two countries using transit rout of different country/ countries has been taking place in wide scale. India & Bangladesh already has been working together to facilitate  Indian Cargo up to north east states of India via Bangladesh territory.  Road access facility of Nepalese Cargo up to Bangladesh via 45 km stripped Indian Territory can be taken as the true  & trial exemplary of such regional cooperation. Trading between Nepal & Bhutan too can be put as a example, however, it’s  still at marginal lavel. Execution on these ideas would be a milestone to crop the transit cost in remarkable size. In any case, the idea to connect  SAARC& adjoining countries by road/ rail shouldn’t remain inside the grave yard of past (away) memories. It’s still viable, let’s bring it’s livelihood back..   Let’s grasp the dreaming is a portraying on a canvas. As we see, the half finished canvas always gives ugly appearance. A mature artist, therefore never gives up his portrayal  until he fills the colours on canvas as he was dreaming for. Presently, we have total 15 transit route to access Calcutta seaport, among which Srisiya Dry Port was the first dream project, which was supposed to compensate us for lacking of own Sea Port. But, alas, that dream happens to remain still a half finished canvas, an ugly canvas. It has been experienced  that  delay in unloading/ de stuffing at Calcutta Dock, in documents clearance, in rail transportation and in handing over of empty containers have been continuously going on as it was couple of decades ago. The document processing obligations are as similar as it were century ago. These lacking are burdening extra transit cost. The story of Biratnagar and Bhairawaha Dry Ports is much miserable. Anyway, there is glimpse of thin silver line as well. We just need to hammer on some pending issues. True recognition of  Srisiya Dry port by Global Shipping Authorities, Inclusion of Bilateral/ Multilateral Liquid & Bulk Cargoes, Infrastructural and processing improvisation in Calcutta Sea Port, Railway linkages in Biratnagar&Bhairahawa dry ports etc are the key factor, waiting for our multidimensional efforts . In nut shell, the Dry Port still is a half portrayed canvas, let’s give it final touch up.   Nepal suffers from two geographical handicaps:  landlocked  & mountainous. To the north, the Himalayas constitute a natural and mostly impassable frontier, and beyond them is the border with China. To the south, east and west, Nepal is hemmed in by India. Within orbit of  such geographical limitation, in addition to road access with India (from  27  points around) concept of finding road access with China and Bangladesh as well, no doubt is really a awesome dream . As the pride of today, Tatopani- Khasaand  Phulbari -Banglabandh boarders  are the single gateway, which facilitate us to have road access with China and Bangladesh. However, these are  initially portrayed Canvases. There is one more under construction project for China- Nepal road connectivity-Rasuwagadi-Kerung Chinese side is upgrading and expanding the infrastructure as well as railway trek in adjoining and nearby areas and initiating construction of the dry port near Tatopani. SimilarlyPhulbari – Banglabandh boarder too iswaiting for few upgrading, like- establishment of proper infrastructure of Custom Office, Immigration Dept, Weighing Bridge, security post, quarantine and Lab deptetc at the boarder point. Additionally trilateral initiations are in progress to reduce hassles and formal obligations.  It sounds great that within various adverse situations, there are huge potentiality in these routs. let’s proceed for further portraying without loosing single second.   At last, let’s say again, dare to dream, be continued in dreaming, particularly at day time and with widely open eyes. Since, it’s the first step to our journey. Only day time dreamer tends to move forward. Do Dream……………