The arrival of the first commercial cargo train from Kolkata, India, to Biratnagar has sparked a wave of enthusiasm among industrialists and entrepreneurs in the Morang-Sunsari corridor. Industry leaders express confidence that the cargo train service will reduce transportation costs by up to 40 percent and eliminate the hassles associated with road transport. Initiated after the removal of policy complexities, this service is expected to facilitate the import of raw materials from third countries more smoothly and help make Nepali products more competitive. (5 Shrawan, Biratnagar)
The cargo train that departed from Kolkata on Friday arrived in Biratnagar by Monday afternoon. Under the Nepal-India Transit Agreement, it is the first time that a cargo train carrying imported raw materials from a third country has directly reached Biratnagar from Kolkata, which has excited the private sector. Operating as a regular service for the first time, this train delivered raw materials to ‘Swastik Oil Industries,’ located in the Morang-Sunsari industrial corridor. Entrepreneurs who previously paid high costs transporting goods via road claim that the cargo train will reduce transportation expenses by up to 40 percent and lower risks.
Rajendra Raut, President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) Koshi Province, described the arrival of the cargo train in Biratnagar as a significant achievement for the private sector and noted that the service has invigorated the business community. “The cargo train service has fulfilled long-standing private sector demands and boosted industrialists’ morale,” he said. “It will also resolve problems associated with road transport.” He explained that delays, theft, and accident risks during road imports have previously hindered businesses, but cargo train transport will enable industries in eastern Nepal to compete effectively in the market. He added that consumers will also benefit from this development.
