October 19: Export to India, which accounts for a large share of Nepal's foreign trade, has been increasing through the eastern checkpoint, while it has been declining from the western frontier. The dry port to be built in the western part of Nepal and the Mahakali Bridge currently under construction will connect parts of far-western Nepal to the national road network and is expected to boost Nepal-India trade. The construction of the motorable bridge over the Mahakali River that connects Dodhara-Chandani to the mainland of Nepal is almost 70 percent complete.

At present, a suspension bridge and roadway from India is used to reach the municipality located in Kanchanpur district of the far-western province. Once the construction of the bride is complete, Dodhara Chandni Municipality can be accessed directly from Mahendranagar. 

The 800-meter-long Mahakali bridge will connect more than 50,000 population of Dodhara Chandani Municipality.

Spokesperson of the Department of Roads Shiva Prasad Nepal said that it will be easier to travel directly from Mahendranagar through a four-lane motorable bridge after the completion of the bridge. 

He said that the bridge from Mahendranagar to Chandni Dodhara is targeted to be completed within the next fiscal year. The cost for the construction of the bridge is Rs 3 billion. 

“Along with the road network, a dry port will also be built,” Nepal said, adding, “The bridge is expected to act as a gateway to western Nepal's trade.” The bridge was inaugurated by the current Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba in 2074 BS. 

An official of the department said that although the bridge was supposed to be completed in three years, the construction has been delayed due to Covid-19 and technical reasons. Western Nepal is very close to Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi and other states of India. It is estimated that this will play a big role in the trade between Nepal and India and will also facilitate in bringing down the cost of export and import. At present, higher exports from Birgunj and Biratnagar are done and more imports from Bhairahawa customs. 

The government had also put forward the concept of constructing Dodhara Chandni dry port in 2068 BS to facilitate trade from the far western state. However, so far the government has not been able to acquire the land required for the port. A report was prepared in 2072 BS after a field study by a group including the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies and other concerned agencies.