Border Tightening Boosts Birgunj Market, Raxaul Market Sees Decline

Parsa. The Indian border market of Raxaul, which is bustling in most seasons, is deserted at the moment. The market has become sluggish as the number of Nepalis going to Raxaul for shopping has decreased since the government tightened customs.

Raxaul was considered a major market for the border residents of Nepal. Not only residents of Parsa district but also residents from Simara, Hetauda, and even Chitwan, the main cities of neighboring districts, used to go to Raxaul market for shopping.

In recent times, the federal government has tightened customs checks in the border areas, and as a result, customers are gradually increasing in the Birgunj market, according to local businessmen.

Jayaprakash Khetan, operator of JP Enterprises, a clothing store in Adarshanagar, Birgunj, said that his store's business has increased by 30 percent compared to before since the government tightened customs in the border area.

"Since the government tightened customs in the border area, customers are gradually increasing in the shops of Birgunj. Previously, I used to just wait in the shop all day. Now, with the increase in customers, there has been a significant improvement in business," he said.

Rishikesh Kesari, who runs a grocery store in Minabazar, Birgunj, also said that the number of customers in Birgunj market has increased since the customs were tightened. "It was common for everyone to go across the border to buy almost all their goods. Since the customs tightening began, our business has increased by about 25 percent. If we can stop illegal trade from the border area, we expect business to increase by 50 percent compared to before," Kesari said.

Since the Division Road, Hetauda, demolished encroaching structures on the main road of Birgunj on April 6, the markets in Adarshanagar and Link Road have seen increased activity. Traders who previously conducted business on the main road have started selling 'stock' goods through 'sale' offers amidst the risky debris of the demolished structures.

According to the Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry, about one thousand businessmen and traders are facing displacement due to road expansion. This has also affected the employment of about nine thousand people directly or indirectly.

Udayasingh Bisht, information officer at the Birgunj Customs Office, said that the government's tightening of measures in the border areas would reduce informal imports. "Informal imports from border cities are decreasing to some extent, and we expect it to be easier to control smuggling," he said.

The tightening of measures in the border areas has also helped control the flow of unaccounted money (Hundi) transactions. It is reported that the influx of drugs from border areas, taking advantage of the open crowds, is also decreasing to some extent.

Hariprasad Gautam, president of the Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that the provision of bringing goods worth more than Rs 100 from the border area is not suitable for the residents of the border area. "If the government brings a policy where essential goods and items available in the border market Raxaul are also available in Birgunj, no one would go to the border market for shopping," he said. "The current policy has somewhat reduced the number of people coming from Simara, Hetauda, and Chitwan to Raxaul for shopping."

Mohan Bahadur Kshetri, Chief and Superintendent of Police of Armed Police Force Nepal No. 13 Battalion Headquarters Parsa, said that efforts are being made to control illegal trade and smuggling from the border areas. "By deploying armed police in the border areas, efforts are being made to control illegal smuggling, and we are also trying to address some practical problems," he said.

According to the Birgunj Customs Office, goods worth Rs 6 kharba 94 arba 5 crore were imported in the first nine months of the current fiscal year. The office collected revenue of Rs 1 kharba 77 arba 66 crore during that period from the import of these goods. Similarly, goods worth Rs 79 arba 54 crore were exported to various countries through this transit point in the first nine months of the current fiscal year.