Opened last year, following the request of the traders, the Larcha-based ad hoc office serves to lessen the heavy traffic at Tatopani customs yard. [break]
The temporary office, built at the cost of Rs 2 million, is located 5 km south of Tatopani customs office.
“We have started the customs service from two places in order to increase the volume of business as well as to end the traffic congestion, difficulty in inspecting goods, loading and unloading problems, among others,” said Indra Adhikari, acting customs chief.
Goods entering the customs point at Larcha include mostly agricultural products like apple, ginger and garlic. For the rest of the products, Tatopani customs yard will continue to cater to, he added.
The customs service from Larcha went operational from the third week of December. The Tatopani customs yard has the capacity for 60 containers. The same workload applies to goods´ inspectors at Larcha. Around 70 to 80 goods´ containers have started to enter the capital after the service began from two places. The number of containers with goods entering Kathmandu before the opening of the ad hoc customs office was 60.
According to the customs office, revenue collection has marginally improved and has crossed Rs 10.6 million per day with the service being made available in two places. On an average, 15 to 40 containers of agricultural products enter the capital each day.
Considering the increasing volume of goods entering the border, Larcha customs has now been manned by 3 to 6 persons.
Goods inspection, load-unload and categorization have become easier to some extent after the service has started from Larcha, according to traders.
Meanwhile, the process of constructing Tatopani dry port under Chinese investment has picked up the momentum. The construction works will start in April and is estimated to take two years to complete. Larcha customs office will continue to function until the project comes into operation.
“The temporary shelter is made through our effort and we are hopeful that the import will improve,” said Rajendra Kumar Shrestha, president of Chamber of Commerce, Sindhupalchowk.
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