Modi, Oli jointly inaugurate check post at Jogbani-Biratnagar

India is committed to simplifying traffic with all friendly countries in the neighbourhood and to further facilitate contacts in areas like business, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday.

He said this after jointly inaugurating with his Nepalese counterpart K P Sharma Oli the second integrated check post at Jogbani-Biratnagar along the border.

Built with Indian assistance, the integrated check post is spread over 260 acres and is capable of handling 500 trucks on a daily basis.The Rs 140 crore project will improve trade and people-to-people contact.

The project was launched jointly by the two leaders via a video link.

The first ICP was built in Raxaul-Birgunj in 2018.

After inaugurating the ICP, Modi said India is committed to simplifying and smoothening traffic with all friendly countries in the neighbourhood, and to "further facilitate contacts between us in areas such as business, culture and education".

He also said India and Nepal are working on several cross-border connectivity projects such as road, rail and transmission lines.

"Integrated check posts at major places of border between our countries are greatly facilitating mutual trade and movement," he said.

At the event, both prime ministersalso witnessed the progress in Indian-assisted post-2015 earthquake housing reconstruction projects in Nepal.

Out of India's commitment to build 50,000 houses in Gorkha and Nuwakot districts, 45,000 have already been completed.

"The 2015 earthquake was a painful accident. Natural calamities like earthquakes test man's tenacity and determination. Every Indian is proud that our Nepali brothers and sisters faced the sad consequences of this tragedy with courage," Modi said.

It is a matter of great satisfaction that 45,000 out of 50,000 houses have been constructed under Indo-Nepal cooperation, he said.

"We hope that the construction of the remaining houses will also be completed soon. And these houses will soon be dedicated to Nepali brothers and sisters," the prime minister noted.

Addressing the event via video, Oli invited Modi to visit Nepal.

Prime Minister Modi said he looks forward to a visit to the neighbouring country this year.

"I wish that with your cooperation and support in the new year, we take our relationship to a higher level. And this new decade becomes the golden decade of Indo-Nepal relations," Modi said.