May 17: Birgunj is not only the main gateway of the country but also the source of supply and transit. Two thousand cargo vehicles enter the country through the three customs checkpoints here on a daily basis. These cargo vehicles go to other cities of the country via Birgunj. However, Birgunj is yet to become a well-organized transport city for the transportation of goods. Transportation is disrupted due to lack of infrastructure here.

The Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the local government have been raising the issue of transport city to manage transportation. However, it has not been managed yet. The shipment is done through the offices of the transport companies located at the center of the main city.

There are more offices of such companies in Adarshnagar, the main market area of Birgunj. The companies have been loading and unloading goods by stopping trucks on the roadside itself in front of their offices.

Adarshnagar is not only a business area, but also a residential area. Due to this reason, the transportation business operated in the middle of the city is causing inconvenience to the people, especially due to the problems in movement. Businessmen of Birgunj have been demanding a transport city in a different place than within the city for the transportation of goods entering from the main checkpoint.

Daytime transport of large vehicles is currently banned in urban areas, making traders to load and unload goods at night time only. Goods imported from India are transported to other cities of the country by various transport companies from Birgunj.

According to Ashok Kumar Temani, coordinator of the Transport and Transit Committee of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Madhesh Province, there is a need for a separate transport city as Birgunj is the main transit point. In the past, the Municipal Council of Birgunj Metropolitan City had passed a proposal to remove transport business from Adarshnagar area. This effort could not be completed due to lack of other alternatives.

Local traders had launched a campaign to manage the transportation and related work conducted from the market area. Coordinator Temani remarked that such transportation will be organized only if there is the alternative of a transport city.

The issue of transport city was given top priority even in the concept of Greater Birgunj brought by the Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry a decade ago. Traders suggest finding land in the area where the dry port and integrated check post of Birgunj are located to convert it into a transport city.