By Deepak Prasad Gautam
Birgunj, Dec. 17: Piles of cargo at Sirsiya Dry Port in Birgunj have not decreased even after the Indian private railway company started its service to remove them from the port.
Earlier, only the Indian government-owned railway company used to transport the cargo. Two private Indian railway companies -- Hinda and Spiritan -- started their cargo transportation services from August/September. Despite this, the heaps have not diminished.

There are now 3,126 TUES containers stored at the port. The capacity of the port is 1,564 TUES containers, but containers double that capacity are being stored.
Tarka Raj Joshi, section officer of Nepal Inter Model Transportation Development Committee, said that 1,674 empty TUES containers and 1,451 loaded ones with several goods are lying at port.
The companies have not removed their empty containers, resulting a sharp increase in the number of empty containers.

The loaded containers are kept in three layers and empty in 4 layers of rakes. It needs to put upper level containers in lower level during inspection, making it difficult to manage them at times, he said.
Container loading process has slowed because of a large number of containers, which are often moved from one place to another, he added.

Joshi said that approximately two trains bring containers from India these days. Earlier, three trains used to bring them.
The record showed that 67 rail containers arrived at the port in October/ November. Additional 21 loaded trains and 10 irons BRL trains also arrived during that time.
Six trains with a capacity to carry 90 containers in a rake and seven other loaded trains are on the way, he added.