December 31: The Container Freight Station (CFS) set up by Nepal in Kolkata has been included by the Kolkata customs within its jurisdiction almost one and a half years after it came into operation.

CFS was not able to conduct foreign trade until now because it did not fall under the domain of the Kolkata customs. The then Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Matrika Prasad Yadav had inaugurated the CFS in Kolkata on August 29, 2019. Nepali importers were not able to utilize the CFS even though it has been such a long time since it was established.

The goods taken to the CFS could not undergo the customs clearance as the port’s customs department had not finalized the process of including it within its domain. Nepal’s Consul General at Kolkata-based consulate, Ishwar Raj Poudel, informed that the CFS is not ready for overseas trade.

“The land that Nepal has taken on lease since many years if finally being utilized for foreign trade,” said Poudel.

Kolkata Port has also prepared a criteria for operating the CFS which is spread across 4,886 square meters in the costal area.

Chief of the Nepal Transit and Warehousing Company Limited (NTWC) Himnath Poudel says they have already received information about the criteria fixed by the port authorities for the operation of the CFS. He said that they have already initiated the process of operating the CFS.

The NTWC last year set up the Container Freight Station almost 40 years after the Government of Nepal took the land on lease. Once it comes into operation, Nepali importers can use the CFS for storing goods coming from third countries.

The operation of CFS is expected to facilitate Nepal’s overseas trade and also reduce the cost of fines the importers have to pay.

The CFS that has been set up at a cost of IRs 2.2 million has a capacity to store 500 containers at a time.

NTWC is planning to avail the CFS at a comparatively lower price for Nepali importers.