With the assistance of the Chinese government, a mobile X-ray machine will be in operation soon at Birgunj Customs Office in Nepal, a Nepalese government official said Sunday in Kathmandu.

The machine, values 200 million Nepali rupees (2.86 million US dollars), is granted by China in accordance with an agreement of economic and technical cooperation signed between the Chinese and Nepalese governments three years ago, said Krishna Hari Baskota, director general of the Customs Department of Nepal.

The machine had already arrived at Birgunj via India's Calcutta port some days ago and a six-member Chinese technical team is expected to arrive there Monday, Baskota said.

The Chinese team will establish the machine, operate it initially and then formally hand-over it to the Nepalese government, he noted, adding that the Chinese team will stay in Birgunj for one year for the maintenance of the machine.

The X-ray machine will be the first mobile X-ray machine to be operated in Nepal, he added.

Birgunj Customs Office is one of the most important customs offices in Nepal, located in the southern entrance boarder with India.