BIRGUNJ, Feb 14: The 134 days of protest by the Madhes-based parties about one and a half years ago had not only affected business and enterprise but also left parcels and important paperwork entering Nepal from India and other countries stuck on the other side of the border.
Since the start of the sit-in at Birgunj customs point on September 24, 2015, parcels and letters had remained stuck at the Raxual-based India Post, the postal service of the Indian government. Those accumulated bundles of parcels and letters have finally reached Nepal through Birgunj, the country's important trade hub.
Four hundred fifty-seven bundles of parcels and posts recently entered Nepal in four tractors.
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“These parcels were left stuck not because of negligence of people, but due to the situation. Postal Services Department and Central Regional Directorate also took initiatives to recover these parcels,” said Pradeep Kumar Mehata, acting chief of the Birgunj-based Parsa Post Office. “And as per their instructions, we sent tractors last week to recover these bundles.”
According to him, the parcels were dispatched to Kathmandu last Friday.
Nepalis living abroad send letters and parcels to their relatives and friends back in Nepal. Majority of parcels enter the country through India. These parcels include clothes, chocolates, and other types of mementos. Letters sent to relatives living in Nepal also enter the country through the southern neighbor.
However, during the peak of the Madhes protests and the Indian blockade on Nepal, such letters and parcels were stuck at the Raxual-based India Post. At that time, there were numerous consignments of trucks waiting to enter the country through the Raxual border point. These parcels and letters too could not cross the Indian border to enter Nepal.
By the time the blockade was lifted, India Post had already collected over 200 bundles of parcels and letters. Later on, India Post accumulated more documents. According to Parsa Post Office, many of the goods sent through parcels could already be date-expired by now.
Photo caption: Bundles of Parcels and paperwork stuck in Raxaul, India, due to the Indian blockade finally reach Parsa Post Office, Birgunj, before being sent to Kathmandu.
