November 29: The import of goods from China through Tatopani checkpoint, the northern border of Nepal, is likely to be affected due to the dispute between transport companies. 

The dispute started a few months ago after two other transport companies were allowed to bring goods at this checkpoint where only Silk Transport has been importing goods since some years.

Silk Transport, Namaste Global Logistics and Rivanje Transport have been allowed to bring goods at Tatopani checkpoint from China. The dispute erupted between the transport companies after Namaste Transport proposed sending containers for importing goods as per the demand from China while Silk Transport wanted to import goods by queuing vehicles. There are 52 containers of Silk Transport, 32 containers of Namaste Global Logistics and 12 containers of Rivanje Transport that have been bringing goods up to the border point. 

Danorbu Sherpa, director of Namaste Transport, said that although a team comprising representatives of all the three transport companies and officials of the Tatopani customs office held talks to resolve the dispute, no solution was found. “We feel that we should be able to send the containers as per the demand of the clients, but the operators of Silk Transport do not support this. So the dispute has not been resolved,” said Sherpa. 

As they have to pay RMB 2,000 per day while they queue their vehicles in China, he said that they decided to send containers only as per the demand. 

“Our only wish is to import goods through open competition,” Sherpa said.  

On the other hand, Silk Transport's Kalyan Silwal said that the problem arose because other transport companies that came to compete at the checkpoint were trying to boss around. “They have created the dispute themselves. We are asking them to work together,” he said. 

Chief of Tatopani Customs Narad Gautam said that the import was affected due to the dispute between the transport companies. He said that the first container to pass the Chinese customs arrives at the Friendship Bridge first and the arrangements to transport goods are made accordingly.