Plans to build integrated check posts (ICP) in Bhairahawa and Nepalgunj are stirring back to life after gathering dust for years with the government starting work to prepare detailed project reports.

Nepal and India signed an agreement in 2005 for the construction of ICPs in Birgunj, Biratnagar, Bhairahawa and Nepalgunj on the Nepali side of the border, and in Raxaul, Jogbani, Sunauli and Rupaidiha on the Indian side to facilitate trade and transit between the two countries.

As per the accord, the Indian government will bear all the construction costs while Nepal will provide the land required for the check posts.

ICPs were planned to be built in Birgunj-Raxaul and Biratnagar-Jogbani in the first phase. While the ICP in Birgunj-Raxaul came into operation three months ago, construction of the Biratnagar-Jogbani check post is underway.

The two countries had agreed to construct ICPs in Bhairahawa and Nepalgunj in the second phase. The government has acquired 52 bighas of land for the proposed ICP in Bhairahawa.

Secretary of the Industry, Commerce and Supplies Ministry Chandra Kumar Ghimire said they were preparing the detailed project reports for the two ICPs and that work had reached the final stage.

“The joint technical team of the two countries has almost completed the reports,” Ghimire said.

Bhairahawa is one of the important Nepal-India transit points which is witnessing increasing cargo movement on a daily basis. Due to lack of parking space and other customs related problems at border point, trucks are parked on the road, causing traffic congestion lasting hours. After the ICP is built, such problems related to customs clearance are expected to be eliminated.

Likewise, the Indian government has started preliminary construction work at the ICP site in Nepalgunj. Nepal has acquired 90 bighas of land for the ICP and handed it over to the Indian side. The contractor hired by the Indian government has started building walls and fencing the land. Out of the 90 bighas set aside for the ICP, 27 bighas have been allotted for roads.

Meanwhile, the construction of the ICP in Budhanagar, Morang is moving forward. The government has handed over 169 bighas of land to the Indian side to construct the ICP which is expected to come online in December.

ICPs allow customs and immigration clearance paperwork to be processed under a single roof to provide hassle-free service to traders.

The ICPs will have warehouses, parking yard, office building, security yard, litigation shed, quarantine area and check post.