There is no “official” or “unofficial” blockade is in place against Nepal, a spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.
“In fact all border posts remain open and there are long lines of trucks and containers waiting to enter Nepal. Every day a number of trucks are entering Nepal from various border crossings. But there are several obstructions at several entry and exit points. They are due to the unrest, protests and demonstrations on Nepali side,” the spokesman said.
There are nine crossing points between India and Nepal for cargo trucks and till noon on Thursday, 5,033 vehicles were waiting at six of the nine points. The worst affected areas are in Bihar where around 3,800 vehicles are stuck while over 1,000 vehicles are stuck in Uttar Pradesh.
“Despite earmarking quantities of petroleum products for Nepal, the Indian Oil Corporation was unable to physically transport much of the quantity on October 7 due to border obstructions. A general strike in Birganj has affected rail traffic,” the spokesman said adding that trucks are moving but not at the speed at which India would like.
The spokesman added that it was not only Nepal but also India which was suffering losses.
“The livelihood of truckers depends on movement of goods. They cannot go there now. Nepal has to set its house in order and reach out to its own people in a spirit of reconciliation so that border obstructions which are currently obstructing movement of traffic from India to Nepal is eased at the earliest,” he added.
Nepal is a land locked state which is dependent on movement of goods from various places including from India. For the last several weeks protests against the adoption of a new constitution in Nepal has led to protests and the blocking of various land routes from India to Nepal.
This has affected the movement of goods between the two countries.