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Construction of dry port in Nepalgunj in limbo

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BANKE: Construction of the dry port at Nepalgunj transit point has not made any progress lately mainly due to the apathy of the Indian side. The construction work is in limbo. The Indian side is responsible to undertake some construction of the project. But the Indian government is less concerned about it, said Hom Nath Bhusal, an engineer at Nepalgunj-based Federal Project Implementation Unit office. India has constructed a barbed-wire fence in the bordering Jayaspur area of late in connection with constructing the dry port. It has built the fence in its territory connecting it to the no man's land on the border between Nepal and India. "Although India has constructed the fence and wall on its side, the actual construction works of the dry port have not made any headway," Bhusal said. Nepali side has completed some of its share of work for the project like land acquisition, while construction of 2,700 metres approach road from Chaulika of Nepalgunj to the port site is underway. The project is funded by the Indian government. Indian authorities have barb-fenced at bordering Jayaspur area near no man's land as part of the project. "Although the Indian government has fenced the area, the construction work has not proceeded as per target," said Bhusal. "Our part of the road construction has been completed, and the rest of the work will be carried out by the Indian government. No construction work has been carried out so far in the fiscal year of 2018/19)," he said. The Indian side is said to be working on the bidding process in this regard, he added. The Government of Nepal has acquired 89 bighas of land for the project in the fiscal year of 2065/66, which has however turned into an animal grazing field without proper use. Indian side's apathy towards the project has cast doubt over the construction of the port. The project being in limbo and a delay has affected the business community of the area in particular including medicinal herb entrepreneurs, said Mohammad Yakub Ansari, central chairperson of the Herbal Entrepreneurs Association of Nepal. The Nepal government should take initiatives in completing the project soon, he demanded.