Nepalgunj, November 1:

Now on, anyone crossing the Nepal-India border from either side at Rupaidiha will have to produce an identity card. This rule has been implemented from today onwards, said Deputy Director General (DDG) of Immigration Department, Mohan Sapkota.

Those travelling from the transit point will have to show produce an authentic ID card compulsorily and those failing to comply with the rules will not be allowed to cross the border, he said.

The rule was implemented after a decision was taken at a joint meeting attended by the secretaries of both the governments a few weeks ago, DDG Sapkota said. The rule will help check cross-border smuggling, theft, robbery and other crimes as well as improve the security situation at the border, he added. “The new rule will not affect the normal movement of the residents along the border in any way,” Sapkota said, adding, “We intend only to keep a record of the movements along the border.”

After assessing the effectiveness of the rule here we plan to implement this rule at Biratnagar-Jogbani, Birgunj-Rakshaul and Bhairahawa-Sunauli transit points as well, he said.

According to the new rule ,Nepali citizens will have to produce either their citizenship cards, passports or other government accredited ID cards and students are required to show the ID cards of their educational institutions to move across the border.

And the Indian citizens are required to produce their passports, voters’ ID cards, driving licence or other ID cards.

It has also been informed that the Rupaidiha transit point will be open only from 9 am to 9 pm. CDO of Banke, Binod Kumar Adhikari said implementation of the rule will curb crimes.

The civilians’ reraction to the new rule is , however, mixed .

Sharada Sidhiqui, a housewife at Nepalgunj, said this system will be inconvenient because they have to depend on Indian markets for almost everything from daily consumed products to other goods. An Indian citizen, Mohammad Sabir, who has to travel to Nepalgunj frequently, said that though the system is quite commendable it would cause him inconvenience.

Sub-Inspector of Jamunaha Police Post at the border, Shiva Panta, said there has already been a noticeable decrease of people moving across borders.