Aerial view of Border crossing with 1. Immigration Office of kakarbhitta, (2) Mechi Customs Office, (3) Mechi Bridge
Overview
Kakarbhitta is the eastern terminus of Nepal's east-west Mahendra Highway at the country's eastern border with Darjeeling District, West Bengal state, India. The Panitanki neighborhood of Naxalbari is on the other side. It is an open border for Nepali / Indian foot traffic, up to 10,000 people per day. The construction work of 690 meters long open foundation bridge has been completed. The width of the new bridge is 22 meters. Roads are good on both sides of the border. The road to Calcutta is good. Imports from India account for 90% of the traffic at this border crossing. Customs can process up to 150-200 trucks a day.
Kakarbhitta is the 7th largest border crossing point, with 2.72% share of total import value (ref: Dept of Customs, 2019/20).
Border Crossing Location and Contact |
|
---|---|
Name of Border Crossing |
Mechi Customs Office (Nepal) Pantanki Land Custom Station (India) |
Province or District |
Province 1, Jhapa district |
Nearest Town or City |
Mechi (adjacent) Bhadrapur (18 km) |
Latitude |
26.64611 |
Longitude |
88.15777 |
Managing Authority/Agency |
Immigration Office, Mechi Customs Office |
Customs Office Contact |
Dhruba Raj Bishwakarma Tel: 023-562004 Mob: 9852662036 |
Immigration Contact Person |
Mr. Ram Prasad Fyual, Immigration Officer Mobile no. +977-9852674913 |
Travel Times |
|
Nearest International Airport |
Baghdogra, India |
Nearest Port |
Calcutta Port, India |
Nearest Major Market |
Silguri, India |
Other Information |
The market is 10 km from Baghdogra Airport. It is very large–it takes 1 hour to travel from the fringes to the centre of the market. Roads to the markets are good with fuel stations on the route. |
Hours of Operation |
|
---|---|
Mondays |
Trucks/Goods: 10:00 – 18:00 |
Tuesdays |
Trucks/Goods: 10:00 – 18:00 |
Wednesdays |
Trucks/Goods: 10:00 – 18:00 |
Thursdays |
Trucks/Goods: 10:00 – 18:00 |
Fridays |
Trucks/Goods: 10:00 – 18:00 |
Saturdays |
Trucks/Goods: 10:00 – 18:00 |
Sundays |
Trucks/Goods: 10:00 – 18:00 |
National Holidays |
Generally, 3 days during Dashain (Nepal national festival) and
up to another 7 days / year at Government’s discretion. |
Seasonal Constraints |
None |
Daily Capacity
- Maximum trucks: 150-200 / day
- Daily average: 80-90 trucks / day
- Operating hours can be extended to 06:00-22:00 for exceptionally high truck traffic if required
- Average clearing time: 2½ hours / truck
- There is rarely a backlog. All trucks are cleared daily.
Customs Clearance
For information on Nepal customs, please see the following link: 1.3 Nepal Customs Information.
Other Relevant Information
- Foot traffic is mixed with vehicles on the bridge and may present logistics safety issues.
- The bridge (approx. 400 m) is the only access between border posts and if damaged would present logistical problems. A new bridge is under construction and was inaugurated in January 2019.
For more information on government agency contact details, please see the following link: 4.1 Nepal Government Contact List.
Truck parking and shade storage.
Government owned warehouse storage with capacity of 1,395 m2.
Mechi bridge and river.