Larcha dry port construction begins

TATOPANI, DEC 21 -

Construction of the much-talked-about Inland Container Depot (or dry port) at Larcha near Tatopani formally began on Thursday.

Being developed under the technical and financial assistance of China, the international-standard dry port is expected to simplify and facilitate trade with China through Tatopani customs. Lack of infrastructure has been identified as one of the bottlenecks to increasing trade with China through Tatopani .

Commerce Secretary Lal Mani Joshi and Yang Houlan, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, jointly laid the foundation stone of the fifth dry port of the country that is spread over 34 hectares and can accommodate 158 containers and 35 small vehicles.

The construction of the dry port is estimated to cost Rs 1.20 billion, according to Sarad Bikram Rana, executive director of Nepal Inter-model Transportation Development Committee (NITDC). The government has so far spent Rs 60 million to acquire 225 ropanies of land for the port located some 6km south of the Tatopani customs office. Beijing Real Estate Group Company (BREGC) is the implementing agency for the project.

According to Rana, the dry port will have boarder inflexion buildings, inspection houses, cargo and litigation warehouses and bank, among others. The port will also house measuring equipment.

China has also agreed to upgrade the 6.5-km road from the border to Larcha. It will also build a 112-m bridge over the Bhote Koshi River.

Officials at Ministry of Commerce and Supplies (MoCS) said after the construction, the Chinese company will hand over the dry port management to NITDC.

Commerce Secretary Joshi, during the foundation stone laying programme, said the construction of the dry port will add new dimension to the existing Nepal-China trade through increased import/ export activities.

Chinese Ambassador Houlan said the dry port will be a momento of Nepal-China trade. Saying that the dry port was the Chinese government’s priority project, he expressed hope that it would be completed on time.

Source: The Kathmandu Post