Nepal-bound cargo starts moving from Kolkata port

The Nepal-bound containers stuck at Kolkata port in India have started moving since Tuesday, according to Nepal’s Consulate General in India.

The containers were stuck at Kolkata port in India due to the construction work of the broad-gauge railway yard on the Raxaul-Muzaffarpur section.

Around 700 Nepal-bound containers were stuck at the Indian port for a week forcing Nepali importers to pay high detention and demurrage charges.

Nepal’s Consul General in Kolkata Chandra Kumar Ghimire confirmed over phone that the authorities in India had permitted the movement of Nepal-bound containers from Kolkata port after the completion of construction project on February 25.

Initially, the Indian authorities planned to allow shipment of three consignments a week to Nepal but after talks with Railway Ministry, they permitted shipments of two consignments per day. Based on the current arrangement, all the containers will leave Kolkata port within the next four days.

Nepali side also coordinated with Eastern Central Railway – the Patna-based unit of Indian Railways – to give priority to the Nepali containers. 

Unlike earlier, when Nepali the containers used to wait for only  a day or two during the renovation work, this time took about a week due to the construction of a broad-gauge line along with the alternative roadways.

Due to new infrastructure, however, the transportation time between Kolkata port and Nepal border will come down to three days.