BANKE: The number of Nepali shoppers visiting Rupaidiha, a border market in India, has declined following the Nepal government’s stricter enforcement of customs regulations on imported goods.
Authorities at the Jamunaha border point in Nepalgunj have tightened checks, requiring travellers to pay customs duty on goods exceeding the prescribed duty-free limit. The move has encouraged more consumers to shop in Nepalgunj while reducing the flow of Nepali customers to Indian markets.
Rupaidiha traditionally attracts large numbers of Nepali shoppers, particularly during major festivals such as Dashain, Tihar and Chhath. However, the stricter customs provisions and increased border surveillance have discouraged many people from crossing the border to shop.
Krishna Prasad Shrestha, former chairman of the Nepalgunj Chamber of Commerce, attributed the decline in Nepali shoppers to changes in customs regulations and tighter inspections at the border.
Since mid-April, the government has enforced restrictions requiring customs clearance for imported goods valued above Rs 100, making cross-border shopping less convenient for many consumers.
Sirjana Thapa, a resident of Puraina in Nepalgunj-21, said the strict checks and lengthy queues at the border had made shopping in India increasingly inconvenient. As a result, she said, Rupaidiha no longer experiences the crowds of Nepali customers it once attracted.
The stricter enforcement has also benefited businesses on the Nepali side of the border. According to consumer rights activist Prabhat Kumar Thakuri, shopping malls and supermarkets in Nepalgunj have become busier as consumers increasingly purchase goods locally.
Thakuri said local traders and business organisations should work together to improve the shopping environment in Nepalgunj and make domestic markets more attractive to consumers. He also stressed the need for effective market monitoring to prevent excessive price increases and black marketing, particularly during the festival season.
Chiranjivi Oli, chairman of the Nepalgunj Chamber of Commerce, said stricter border surveillance had also contributed to a decline in reported smuggling activities.