BIRGUNJ: The ongoing decline in the country’s construction activities has led to a significant drop in the import of petroleum products through Birgunj Customs.
According to the Birgunj Customs Office, imports of diesel and petrol at this checkpoint have decreased by over 25 percent.
Birgunj is recognized as the primary trade transit point for the highest volume of diesel and petrol in the country.
In the first three months of the current fiscal year, a total of 135,518 kilolitres of high-speed diesel worth Rs 12.66 billion has been imported via Birgunj.
Deepak Lamichhane, chief administrator of the Customs Office, reported that the import of high-speed diesel has dropped by 25.33 percent during the same period compared to the previous fiscal year.
Revenue collection has also fallen by 27.43 percent due to the decrease in diesel imports.
Under the Motihari-Amlekhgunj petroleum pipeline project, high-speed diesel is being imported through the pipeline, while petrol is transported via tankers.
Pralayankar Acharya, the Provincial Office Chief of the Nepal Oil Corporation in Amlekhgunj, noted that petroleum consumption has declined due to insufficient infrastructure and a slowdown in development activities.
He anticipates that imports will rise as infrastructure projects progress.
Additionally, the shift in public preference toward electric vehicles has contributed to the decreased consumption of petroleum products.
Roshan Dahal, general secretary of the Federation of Contractors’ Association of Nepal (FCAN), expressed concerns that the construction sector has been unable to maintain momentum during the rainy season, compounded by delays in payment for completed projects by government agencies.
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