September 5: The dry port at Chobhar, Kathmandu is all set to come into operation soon. All the basic infrastructures of the government-built dry port has become ready, according to Nepal Intermodal Transport Development Board that is also authorized to look after the Birgunj Dry Port.    
The newly-built dry port, which can house around 500 containers, has been built by the government to facilitate the trade in the Kathmandu Valley.    
Built at the cost of over Rs 1.60 billion, the dry port has three buildings and three godowns. It would be brought into operation as soon as the customs clearance section and containers of the dry port get ready, according to Executive Director of the board, Ashish Gajurel.    
Once the dry port comes into operation, it is expected to maximize imports and facilitate export, decrease investment costs and simplify trade in general. Gajurel added that there were three gates at the dry port, each exclusively slated for import, export and contingencies.    
The construction of the dry port had begun in 2018 in a total of 261 ropanis of land which includes residence for the employees as well. Shanxi-Ashish JV Company was awarded the contract to build the dry port.    
Former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had laid the foundation stone of the dry port on January 17, 2019. The construction of the dry port was supposed to be completed within 18 months but owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the construction process could not meet the deadline, informed the board.    
Meanwhile, the board has been doing necessary homework to determine a modality in which the dry port could be operated. A committee has been formed under the coordination of the joint-secretary of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies to prepare a modus operandi of the first-ever dry port in the Kathmandu Valley.    
The board has assured that once the dry port comes into operation, the vehicles ferrying containers do not have to wait in Birgunj for a long time as in the past for customs clearance. -- RSS