The Nepali government is upgrading the Arniko Highway and constructing Container Freight Station (CFS) in Tatopani area, bordering with China, in order to develop the highway as an immediate transit route for Sino-India trade, a government official said here on Wednesday.

"The upgrade of roads and CFS construction plan was devised after the government formally accepted the highway as the immediate route for the transit trade, as per the recommendation of the high-level study committee," the official said on condition of anonymity.

A technical sub-committee on directives of High-Level Steering Committee chaired by the Nepali Commerce Minister has already conducted a preliminary study to translate the route development program into action, the official revealed.

A technical team, among others, has also proposed two different spots where container freight stations could be developed.

The team has suggested that the Nepali government can either construct a single and spacious CFS or develop pocket-like CFS to serve the transit purpose. "Whatever be the nature of CFS, it should support parking and handling of more than 500 containers at a time," the official said.

The CFS, would have all the equipment, infrastructure and services required to regularize the movement of containers in transit, he noted, adding, "It will also have customs and quarantine offices, among others, for trade facilitation."

The technical team has also identified the spots where the roads of the 114-km highway need to be expanded or upgraded to support the movement of heavy vehicles, he added.

Source: Xinhua