November 2: Government authorities were planning to channelize the import and export of all goods from Birgunj through the Integrated Check Post (ICP). However, even after three years of operation of the ICP, this objective has not been achieved.

The goal of making the import and export transparent by merging the old customs point at the Birgunj-Raxaul border and the Birgunj Dry Port with the ICP has been largely neglected so far. After the closure of the Nepal-India border during the coronavirus pandemic, most of the trade taking place throug the Birgunj-Raxaul-Inarwa transit point has been shifted to the ICP. 

Birgunj Customs Officer Ramesh Sukmani said that most of the customs work has been concentrated in the ICP after March as the border was closed due to coronavirus pandemic.

"Most of the import and export businesses are now being done through the ICP. More than 99 percent of the goods are cleared through the ICP,” he said.  

At present, only a small quantity of petroleum products, vegetables, clinker, coal, iron ore and some other goods are imported through Inarwa. The Birgunj Customs had also started construction of infrastructure with scanners to shift the import-export trade to ICP by making Inarwa a passenger transit point.

It has been almost a year since the decision was taken to shift the dry port to the ICP. However, no progress has been seen in the decision of the Council of Ministers to merge these customs facilities.