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Utilisation of Chinese port may take years

  1 min 27 sec to read

March 23: Though the hopes of end of Indian monopoly in Nepal’s transit route has risen after signing transit agreement with China on Monday, stakeholders cast doubt about utilization of Chinese port. As not only it might take years to operate, but it is much costlier in compare to India, they say.  

No concrete study has been done regarding utilisation of Chinese port. Only after finalizing the agreement, study on model, infrastructure and other aspects of port utilisation are being carried out. “Agreement will not be fruitful for instant,” says former Commerce Secretary Purushottam Ojha.  “Nevertheless, the agreement will facilitate bilateral trade with Mid-Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Kirjikistan, Ujbekistan through China.”  

Nepali traders will not be able to take advantage of the Chinese port without proper development of infrastructures like improvement of roadway to China, road accessibility to additional checkpoints, development of railway to reach the port. According to Ojha, Kimathanka of east, Corola of Mustang, Kerung of Rasuwa and Tatopani checkpoint of Sindhupalchowk have to be operated in order to benefit from the Chinese port. “Roadway and Railway are prerequisites for the port utilization,” he adds. 

As Chinese sea ports are situated in 5,000 kms from the Nepal border, Chinese port will not serve as alternative to Indian port due to issues regarding distance and cost. “However, it has opened new door,” Ojha mentions. 

Rajan Sharma, Chairman of Nepal Freight Forwarder’s Association said that study should have done regarding utilisation of port before finalizing the agreement. “The modality on utilisation of the port has not been commenced yet,” he says.

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