Nepal Paying Hefty Sum for Unused Leased Land at Kolkata and Haldia Ports

Land plots leased by Nepal at India’s Kolkata and Haldia ports have remained largely unused, forcing the government to pay nearly half a million rupees every month in rent from the state treasury.

The land plots were leased under the bilateral transit treaty with India, but weak management by Nepal Transit and Warehousing Company Limited has left the facilities underutilized. The company manages a 4,850-square-foot warehouse at Kolkata Port. Nepal has been paying INR 56,000 per month for this plot, but the lease agreement has now expired.

At Haldia Port, Nepal has leased 8,985 square feet of land, which has also remained unused. Manager Him Nath Poudel said the land could have been used for storing coal and other cargo, but it has not been utilized so far. He added that the Shyam Prasad Mookerjee Port has proposed exchanging the plot, though no final decision has been taken.

Several vehicles are currently parked haphazardly on the Haldia plot. Branch Manager Poudel said Nepal is paying INR 300,000 per month in rent for the land leased at Haldia Port alone.

Although coal imports for Nepal continue through Haldia Port, authorities cannot use the leased land for coal storage due to insufficient space. Nearby plots, however, are being used as warehouses for coal and construction materials such as gypsum.

Nepal’s Consul General in Kolkata, Jhakka Prasad Acharya, said both plots secured under the trade and transit agreement should be used for commercial purposes. He stressed that if Nepal cannot use the land in its current form, the government should seek a practical solution, even if it requires amending the transit treaty.

“Since both plots are located inside the port area, Nepal cannot build large-scale infrastructure with heavy investment. At the very least, the government should assign someone with management responsibility so the rent can be recovered,” he said.

He further suggested that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should take the initiative to resolve the issue of the unused leased land at both Kolkata and Haldia ports. -- RSS