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Plan to relocate customs flayed
BANKE, NOV 14 - The Indian entrepreneurs and citizens at the bordering town of Rupediya have flayed the newly floated Indian proposal to relocate the four major customs checkpoints including Nepalgunj-Rupediya customs.
They argued that the relocation of the checkpoints would hit the existing business and town centres. "The Indian government might have its own reasons for the relocation. But it will benefit none," said Chhedilal Madhesia, President of Rupediya Industry and Trade Association (RITA). "The plan is not good," he added.
Meanwhile, a customs security official at Rupediya informed The Kathmandu Post that the Indian side is already preparing to freeze the existing customs and roads and construct another road some two kilometres west of the existing one.
"Opening up of new route far from the existing market place would but serve the smugglers," said Madhesiya.
Rupediya, which lies next to Nepali customs of Nepalgunj, is a market with a population of about 10,000 and 600 traders. The daily transaction in the market is said to be over Rs 50,000. Of the total transactions, 80 percent is done with Nepal. "If the new proposal comes into effect, it will shut down the existing market," said Sanjaya Bansal, General Secretary of the Association. The proposal to relocate the customs was floated by the RITES, Indian government enterprise recently. It has argued that the integrated development of customs infrastructure is not possible at existing sites due to space crunch and lack of scope of widening the roads connecting to checkpoints.
However, locals on the other side of Nepalgunj border disagree. "Current road is 135 feet wide. It is unbelievable that the road as wide as the existing one would not support new infrastructure," said Bansal. Also, the government can acquire the land from locals in case the current space is felt inadequate, he added.
The Indian traders further said that proposal to fencing the customs points for two kilometres along the international border would hit the transportation services as well.
The Uttar Pradesh government has built a Roadways Bus Station about 1.5 kilometres east of existing market with an investment of Rs 20 million. "But, if the customs checkpoint is relocated, the station will fail to serve its purpose," said the Indian customs official.
If the border were fenced, the Nepali passengers would require travelling some 6 kilometres instead of current 1 kilometre to reach the station.Posted on: 2003-11-13 09:56
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