Kerung-Kathmandu Railway: New pathway paved for feasibility study on cross-border railways
Kathmandu,14 Oct ;The recent signing of a feasibility study on the MoU of China-Nepal Cross-Border Railway Project, one of the 18-point MoUs and the exchange of two letters between Nepal and China, has kindled hope among the Nepalese people that the Kerung-Kathmandu Railway project would now. on pick a pace.
The signing of MoU’s feasibility study of China-Nepal Cross-Border Railway Project between the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport of Nepal and Transport of China witnesses President Xi and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on the second day of the Chinese President’s Two-Day State Visit to Nepal.
President Xi, who arrived in Nepal on October 12 on the friendly street of President Bidya Devi Bhandari, had reaffirmed China’s encouraging support for enhancing bilateral cooperation between various sectors in the two countries including cross-border railway connectivity.
During his speech during a dinner reception hosted by President Bhandari, he was honored by President Xi on Sunday, saying that Nepali people were looking forward to the operation of the Kerung-Kathmandu-Lumbini railway.
Bhandari also expressed his confidence that this wish of Nepalese people will soon be fulfilled in the context that China has made significant achievements in the development of railways, with the use of modern technology and available resources.
The signing ceremony of the feasibility study on the cross-border railway project has given an impetus for the construction of the Kathmandu-Rasuwagadhi Railway, said Prakash Bhakta Upadhyay, a former senior divisional engineer at the Department of Railways.
The protocol of Transit and Transport Agreement, one of the important documents signed during President Bhandari’s visit to China last April, has confirmed Nepal’s access to three dry ports and four sea ports in China.
Similarly, Trans Himalaya Multidimensional Connectivity Network and Nepal China Trans-border Railway were included in those agreements.
China’s National Railway Authority submitted a preliminary study report last November-December about the Kerung-Kathmandu Railway to the (Nepal) Government.
Since then, officials of Nepal and China have once discussed the issue which paved the way for additional homework to determine the design of the railway project implementation. The length of Kerung-Kathmandu is expected to be around 80 kilometers and the construction phase is estimated to be about eight years and the estimated cost is over three billion rupees.
Former senior divisional engineer Upadhyay said, “The Sunday’s agreement has paved the way for the railway construction issue. So, I am hopeful that feasibility studies will work on this within some time.” The Chinese government will ensure grant assistance for this study as well.
There is a vision of expanding the railway up to Pokhara, making it 171 kilometers long.
According to Upadhyay, the nature of Chinese and Nepali working styles is different. Chinese pre-feasibility study is equal to our feasibility study and their feasibility study is alike of our detailed engineering study. Chinese do not cite DPR.
A feasibility study including geological and topographical study as well as the mapping of the form from Kathmandu to Kerung via Trishuli’s Nuwakot has been done before. Special priority is being given to the tunnel under the railway project.
Although the two countries discussed the detailed project report (DPR) and other issues related to the railway project in July, an appropriate decision was not taken that time.
The agreement reached during the state visit of the Chinese President has paved the way for this further and has made dreams of Nepalis crossing the Himalays crossing closer to the material. The Chinese officials who participated in the Investment Summit on March 29 and 30 had said that the high-level agreement was necessary for the construction of the railway. The time of construction of the railway will be eight years, according to the knowledgeable sources.
Feasibility studies will begin immediately after the high-level agreement. Required decisions on related topics including the modality of investment would be taken along with the study. It will usually take one and a half years to two years to complete the feasibility study and the estimated cost for the study is Rs 1.70 billion.
The investment modality in Laos, Viet Nam and other countries is 70 per cent Chinese investment and 30 per cent domestic investment. The total estimated cost of the railway is Rs 300 billion. Based on this estimated cost, it seems big investment at one time would not be required if this investment modality is followed.
Spokesperson at the Department of Railways, Aman Chitrakar, said Sunday’s agreement has paved the way for carrying out the feasibility study of the railway project. He added that the project would move forward based on the directives given by the Ministry of Physical Infrast.
