Biratnagar, July 22: A cargo train carrying mustard seeds imported from a third country via India’s Kolkata Port arrived at the Integrated Customs Check Post (ICP) in Budhnagar, Biratnagar-18, marking the resumption of the Kolkata–Biratnagar rail freight service after a gap of three years.
The service, first launched during the inauguration of the Biratnagar ICP in 2023, had remained suspended following its inaugural operation. The train transported 40 containers of mustard seeds imported by Swastik Oil Industries under the rail cargo system designed to facilitate safer, faster and more cost-effective transportation of third-country imports. Each container is equipped with an Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS) to ensure secure transit.
The service is the first direct rail cargo operation transporting third-country imports from Kolkata Port to Biratnagar. It was launched through the joint efforts of the Consulate General of Nepal in Kolkata, Kolkata Customs, Kolkata Port, and the Container Corporation of India Limited (CONCOR).
Until now, Birgunj was Nepal’s only entry point offering direct rail cargo services for third-country imports. The extension of the service to Biratnagar is expected to significantly improve logistics for industries and traders in eastern Nepal.
Morang Trade Association President Nandu Rathi said the new rail service would reduce transportation costs and improve supply chain efficiency for businesses in the region. Industrialist Suyash Pyakurel said rail transport is safer, more reliable and less expensive than road transport, and is expected to substantially lower freight costs for importers.
Once fully operational, the service will be capable of transporting up to 45 forty-foot containers to Biratnagar in a single train. Cargo is also expected to reach Biratnagar from Kolkata in around 24 hours, significantly reducing transit time. The service has been introduced under the Nepal–India Transit Treaty, which allows Nepal to use Indian road, rail and inland waterways for imports and exports involving third countries.
The expansion follows amendments made by India’s Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) to the Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS) regulations, allowing rail cargo movement from the ports of Kolkata, Haldia and Visakhapatnam to the Biratnagar Customs Office.
Following the regulatory changes, Kolkata Customs, with the support of the Consulate General of Nepal in Kolkata, completed the necessary procedures to facilitate rail transportation from the Jogbani Customs Yard in India to the Biratnagar Customs Yard in Nepal. #nepal
