22.1.20

Modi, Nepal PM inaugurate 2nd integrated check-post

India and Nepal opened their second integrated check-post on the Jogbani-Biratnagar border on Tuesday, with both Prime Ministers, Narendra Modi and K P Sharma Oli, jointly inaugurating the facility.

The Rs.140 crore ICP built with Indian assistance and spread over 260 acres is the second after the Raxaul-Birgunj one which was opened in 2018. Officials said it can handle over 500 trucks daily.

Modi promised to visit Nepal in 2020, in response to an invite by Oli. Modi said, “India is committed to smooth traffic with all friendly countries in the neighbourhood, and to further facilitate contacts in business, culture, education, etc. India and Nepal are working on several cross-border connectivity projects such as road, rail and transmission lines.

Integrated check posts at major borders between our countries are greatly facilitating mutual trade and movement.” “Integrated check-posts at... the border between our countries are greatly facilitating mutual trade and movement,” he said. The two leaders also reviewed the progress in Indian-assisted post-2015 earthquake housing reconstruction projects in Nepal. Out of India's commitment to build 50,000 houses in Gorkha and Nuwakot districts, 45,000 have been completed. “We hope the construction of the remaining houses will be completed soon...” he added.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale and Nepal's Ambassador to India Nilambar Acharya attended the inauguration in New Delhi and from Kathmandu, Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Supplies Lekhraja Bhatta and Charge d'Affaires, Embassy of India in Nepal Dr Ajay Kumar witnessed the event. In a statement in Kathmandu, the Indian embassy said the ICP puts in place systematically planned, properly interconnected and efficiently managed border checkposts at the authorised Jogbani-Biratnagar border crossing point between the two countries.

No comments: