The construction of the Dodhara-Chandni dry port, which is to be built with financial and technical assistance from India, has been delayed by the process of tree removal. In the first phase of this port, which is seen as a port that will transform the Far West, there is a plan to build a non-rail sector in the ICP of the port.

Nepal Intermodal Transport Development Company aims to complete the construction by 2025. With one year left, the work to remove the tree has not yet started.

This project is important for development, business expansion and management in the Far West region. There has been a delay in the project, which will be India's financial and technical assistance," said Ashish Gajurel, executive director of the committee. "It took about 3 years since the EIA was started. Since it is a priority project, there is still a problem if it is not done quickly.'  The

committee prepared the dry port master plan in Dodhara-Chandni area in 2078. After the master plan, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Detailed Project Report (DPR) were also done for the port. This master project is divided into two phases. In the first phase, the ICP of the dry port will be constructed in an area other than the railway. It said that in the second phase, rail connectivity will be related to cargo. 

According to the same plan, the first phase of the work is to be completed within the year 2025. But 3 years have passed in government work since EIA was started. According to the committee, many rules and laws of the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Department have caused the delay. "There are many processes in the forest, there is a delay in completing all the processes," Gajurel said, "Now we are waiting for the order to remove the tree."

The government is going to construct an integrated check post and a dry port in Ward No. 1 under Dodhara-Chandni municipality of Kanchanpur district to facilitate trade. This project will be built with the financial and technical support of the Government of India. A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the Government of Nepal and the Government of India on June 1, 2023 for this purpose.

During the then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal's visit to India, the MoU was signed with the then Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supply. In the presence of the then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, the then Industry, Commerce and Supply Minister Ramesh Rizal and India's Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal exchanged an agreement regarding the treaty.

After the Dodhara-Chandni Integrated Checkpoint and Dry Port MoU, Far West has been taken as a transforming port. But there has been a delay in handing over the land for the construction of the port on behalf of Nepal. After clearing the trees and handing over the land to build the port, India will tender, India has already prepared the tender document. The delay is from our side,' Gajurel said, 'In about 3 years after the tender, the construction will be completed and handed over to the Nepal government.' According to the

committee, the environmental management plan has been revised again after the signing of the memorandum of understanding. The environmental impact assessment study report approved on May 17, 2080 was approved by the ministerial decision on August 7, 2081 in the environmental management plan. According to which, the area of ​​land proposed for project operation is 42.36 hectares.

'After the approval of the environmental impact assessment report and revised environmental management plan, to use 42.36 hectares of land in the central area of ​​Shuklaphanta National Park for the construction of Dodhara-Chandni Integrated Checkpoint/Dry Port and 1702 trees of different species on that land. And the removal of the poles was approved by the Cabinet on October 2, 2081," he said, "but there has been a delay.

According to the decision of the Council of Ministers, the land should be provided to the Government of Nepal in exchange for not reducing the area of ​​42.36 hectares used for the construction of the integrated check post project in accordance with the procedure for providing land for the construction of infrastructure in the protected area, 2080. After not being able to provide the land, the committee has deposited 148.2 million 60 thousand rupees in the fund of the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Department to purchase the land.

After collecting funds on January 9, 2081, the committee needs approval from the Shuklaphanta National Park Office to remove 1,702 trees and poles. According to the committee, the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Department and the Shuklaphanta National Park Office are regularly contacted for the approval of tree felling. "We are waiting for the approval of the order, after which the process of tree cutting will begin," said Ashish Gajurel, executive director of the committee.

Under this project, structures such as roads, parking areas, platforms, warehouses, weighbridges, container yards, passenger terminals, customs, banks, livestock/food laboratories, and administrative buildings will be constructed. The total cost of this project is estimated to be around 5.76 billion.

agreement between committee and department to remove trees

An agreement has been reached between the committee and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation regarding land use and removal of trees on the land. The agreement letter will now be sent to the Shuklaphanta National Park Office, Kanchanpur, said Gajurel, Executive Director of the Committee.