The second meeting of the Project Steering Committee for the development of Integrated Check-Posts at four border points on the Indo-Nepal border was held on January 17-18, 2008. The meeting was co-chaired by Shri U.N. Panjiar Secretary (Border Management), Ministry of Home Affairs from the Indian side and Shri Uma Kant Jha, Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning and Works from the Nepalese side. Officials from Foreign and other concerned Ministries from both the sides also attended the meeting. The Project Steering Committee primarily discussed the development of Integrated Check-Post at Raxaul-Birgunj check-point, which would be taken up in Phase I of the project as mutually agreed. The Committee deliberated over the follow up action taken by the two sides on the decisions taken during its first meeting held in Kathmandu on July 21, 2007 and the recommendations made by the Sub-Committee in the meeting held on October 15, 2007.

            Governments of India and Nepal signed the MOU for “Development of Infrastructure at Four Border Check-Posts along the Indo-Nepal Border” on August 3, 2005 which includes construction of Integrated Check-Posts (ICP) at the border points (i) Raxaul-Birgunj, (ii) Sunauli-Bhairahawa, (iii) Jogbani-Biratnagar, and (iv) Nepalganj Road-Nepalganj. The project envisages Indian financial and technical assistance for creation of world-class infrastructure equipped with modern amenities at these four border points for smooth flow of people and goods across the Indo-Nepal border. M/s RITES India Limited, who have been appointed the consultants for the project, have completed the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the project.  GON has conveyed its concurrence to the DPR.  Field survey work and fixing of pillars on the proposed sites for the ICPs on both sides have also been completed by M/s RITES. The initial estimate for the development of the ICPs at the four border points is IRs. 3.20 billions. However, this figure is likely to be revised significantly upwards as the detailed engineering work proceeds.

            Under the MOU of August 2005, both governments agreed to form a Project Steering Committee for the coordination of project activities on the two sides and to ensure necessary support from the two governments for successful implementation of the project.

Given that more than half of the bilateral trade volume between India and Nepal passes through the Raxaul-Birgunj border point, the Project Steering Committee decided to implement the Raxaul-Birgunj ICP under Phase-I of the project, while the ICPs at the remaining three border points would be undertaken under Phase-II.  During the meeting, both sides apprised each other of their respective state of preparedness for the project and discussed the roadmap for fast-track implementation of the Raxaul-Birgunj ICP by identifying specific actions and major milestones.  Since the ICP on both sides would come up as mirror-image of each other, coordination issues were also discussed to ensure that the development of infrastructure on the two sides was synchronized for early fruition of the project.

Development of Integrated Check-Posts at the Indo-Nepal border is among the important major projects for cross-border connectivity being undertaken as part of the India-Nepal Economic Cooperation Programme to enable the people of India and Nepal to engage more closely in productive pursuits, share with each other the fruits of development and strengthen their friendly bonds.  Overall, the project is part of more than 265 large and small projects currently being undertaken with the Indian assistance in all 75 districts of Nepal, covering the sectors of education, health, community development and infrastructure with a total outlay of more than NRs. 21.5 billion.