Rasuwa Customs Office, Timure has exceeded its revenue collection target in the first 11 months of the current fiscal year. According to the office, its revenue collection stood at Rs3.81 billion, Rs181.14 million more than the target.

Gopal Korala, chief  customs officer, said that revenue from the customs point has exceeded the target. “It is due to increased trade activities passing through the point,” he said, adding that materials for the construction of Pokhara and Gautam Buddha international airports are also being imported from the Rasuwa border point.

According to the office, highest revenue of Rs771.67 million was collected during the month of mid-May to mid-June as against the target of Rs326.74 million. The Rasuwagadhi-Kerung border crossing was opened in December 2014 and has been the only point of bilateral trade between Nepal and China.

In August last year, the northern neighbour granted the Rasuwagadhi-Kerung route a status of international checkpoint following intense efforts from Nepali side after Tatopani, the major point between Nepal and China, remained shut due to extensive damage caused by devastating earthquake of April 25, 2015. Since then, Rasuwagadhi-Kerung route has been the key trading route between Nepal and China. Despite the fact that Rasuwagadhi is an international customs point connected with China, proper facilities are lacking on the Nepal side of the border. Landslides, dust storms and stones rolling down cliffs are common occurrences.

More than 250 containers pass through the border post every day. However, due to the immigration, customs, quarantine and bank offices scattered all over the place, businesspeople are having a

hard time getting their paperwork done.

The customs office is located at Timure which is 1.5 km from the border. A parking yard for containers is lacking. Whenever a large number of containers arrive, customs inspection has to be done on the roadside.

Dharma Raj Subedi, information officer of the customs office, said that customs work comes to a halt when it rains as inspection has to be done under the open sky. There is no electricity as the temporary yard is located on the banks of a river, and it is difficult to work at night, he added.

Besides, there are frequent occurrences of goods theft and damage as the facility is not properly managed, traders said.