A new chapter in India-Nepal trade relations is on the horizon as the proposed Dodhara Chandani dry port in Nepal’s far-western region promises to revolutionise cross-border connectivity. With the Indian public sector undertaking RITES issuing a tender earlier this month for the Rs 2.54-billion project, work on it is expected to start as early as April this year. The project completion period has been set at 30 months.
Set to become a major logistical hub, this dry port will streamline the movement of goods between Nepal and India, significantly reducing transit time and costs. As both nations strengthen their economic ties, the dry port represents a gamechanger, offering enhanced trade opportunities, regional integration, and crucial infrastructure for Nepal, a landlocked country long dependent on India’s ports.
When completed, this will be the fourth dry port along the India-Nepal border after Raxaul, Rupaidiha and Jogbani. As of now, Nepal’s trade connectivity with the rest of the world is mostly concentrated towards the east with access to the Kolkata port. Once operational, the Dodhara Chandani dry port will give the landlocked Himalayan nation access to the Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Mumbai.
The scope of work includes constructing the administrative building, warehouse, quarantine facilities, and residential buildings. India will also construct a link road from the Indian national highway to the dry port. Nepal has listed the dry port as a national priority project.
The dry port is expected to enhance the efficiency of cargo handling and customs clearance, reducing transit time and costs. Currently, Nepal uses the Kolkata port and other Indian ports, but the Dodhara Chandani dry port, strategically located in the western region, offers a more direct and time-efficient route for both Nepal and India.
It will streamline trade flows between Nepal and India by serving as a logistics hub for the movement of goods. The dry port will offer facilities such as warehousing, cargo handling, and customs processing, which will encourage smoother and faster trade transactions.
With better connectivity, Nepal will have enhanced access not only to Indian markets but also to international markets, making its goods more competitive. This will boost Nepal’s exports, especially agricultural products, handicrafts, textiles, and minerals, to global markets.
The dry port will be accompanied by investments in infrastructure, including roadways, railways, and possibly even air connectivity. This will further improve the region’s accessibility and contribute to the overall development of the area.
The depot will eventually accommodate 3,000 20-foot freight trucks, though the first phase will provide space for 300 trucks. The import warehouse will have a 7,000 square-metre space, and the export warehouse will cover 2,520 square metres. Similarly, a railway warehouse will occupy 17,500 square metres, and the container stacking yard, a large open space for container movement, will be built over 10,000 square metres.
The Dodhara Chandani is expected to improve connectivity not just between Nepal and India but also within Nepal’s domestic transportation network. The dry port will be connected to the Indian highway and railway systems, which will make the transportation of goods between Nepal, India, and beyond more efficient. It can act as a critical link for the trade routes connecting various parts of South Asia, especially with the ongoing infrastructural developments like the India-Nepal cross-border railway.
