Sunday, February 24, 2019

Detailed feasibility study of Kathmandu-Kerung railway to begin in March

The detailed feasibility study of the 75-km-long Trans Himalayan Kathmandu-Kerung railway will start from March, according to the Department of Railways (DoRW). A joint study team of Nepali and Chinese engineers are scheduled to start the detailed feasibility study and also the detailed project report from next month, the department informed.
The feasibility study will be started simultaneously from Kathmandu, Nuwakot and Kerung. The joint team will conduct the detailed feasibility study and detailed project report simultaneously, the director general of DoRW Balaram Mishra said, adding that the department has planned to start conducting the detailed feasibility study from Tokha of Kathmandu, Nuwakot and Kerung simultaneously. "The joint team will study the rock foundation, soil structure and possible alignment."
The team will finalise design and exact cost of the railway project, after completing the detailed feasibility study and engineering design, he added.
As per the pre-feasibility study, the Kathmandu-Kerung railway project is estimated to cost about Rs 275 billion, according to an initial field study conducted in November 2017 by a Chinese technical team. Around 98.55 per cent section of the railway would be covered by tunnels and bridges, according to the study.
The study team – besides Nepali engineers and the local consultant – will comprise of more than 40 core technical Chinese engineers from the China Railway First Survey and Design Institute Group. The 14 engineers – sent to China to study about the electrified railway system by the government earlier – will also be included in the study team.
Earlier, a joint team Nepali and Chinese consultants had submitted the pre-feasibility report of the railway project on August 10. Both the nations have held three rounds of discussions after the consultants report.
Nepal had proposed China to conduct the detailed feasibility study and also detailed project report of the project with Chinese investment. China has also agreed to bear all the cost incurred for the study.
The Trans Himalayan Kathmandu-Kerung railway line will be connected to China that has been planning to bring the railway line to Kerung by 2022. The Chinese railway line has currently connects Shigatse – of the Tibetan autonomous region – that is some 540-km from Kerung.

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