‘Not enough funds allocated for railway’

KATHMANDU, JUL 19 - The government in the budget for the current fiscal year has talked about initiating construction of the highly ambitious East West Electric Railway project, but the Department of Railways has said the amount allocated for railway development is negligible and is not even sufficient to continue ongoing studies.

For the current fiscal year, the department had demanded Rs 6.30 million for the feasibility study of metro railway or Mass Rapid System (underground and elevated railway) in the Capital, detailed project report of the East-West railways and land compensations for constructing railway links in bordering towns of the country. However, despite government’s high priority in the budget statement, only Rs 100 million has been allocated for the railway sector, according to the department.


The budget unveiled on July 15 has talked about initiating construction work of the East-West railway, extend Nepal Jayagar-Janakpur railway service up to Bardibas and start construction of a railway line in Rani Sikiyahi-Biratnagar services. Likewise, the budget has also stated to expedite detailed study of other railways identified in the Nepal-India border areas and initiate feasibility studies on metro or monorail services in Kathmandu Valley.

“There are so many plans in the budget statement. But the government has failed to allocate necessary funds for the railway sector development,” said Ram Kumar Lamsal, director general of the department. He said the allocated budget is not even sufficient for completing the feasibility study of the metro in the Valley and DPR of Simara-Bardibas-a section of East West Electric Railway and its link Simara-Birgunj.

The department has estimated that land acquisition for the Jogbani-Biratnagar section of the cross border railway links and upgrading of the Janakpur-Jayanagar section to broad gauge alone could cost around Rs 800 million. Department officials have accused the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works, Ministry of Finance and National Planning Commission of neglecting the need of resources for boosting railway development.

Meanwhile, following the short-listing of eligible firms for the feasibility study of the metro and DPR of Simara-Bardibas and its link Simara-Birgunj, the department is all set to start evaluation of the proposals received. On Monday, three international firms-Chung-Suk Engineering Co Ltd of Korea, Scott Wilson from India and

Systra SA of France had submitted their technical and financial proposals for the DPR study of the Simara-Bardibas and Simara-Birgunj link.

Similarly, four firms had submitted proposals for the feasibility study for the metro in Kathmandu. The firms are hung-Suk Engineering Co Ltd of Korea, RITES India, Systra SA of France, Team Consulting Engineering and Management Co Ltd of Thailand.

The department has been targeting to complete the consultant selection work by August for the DPR and get detailed study and design of the electrified railway line in May next year for Simara-Bardibas (102km) and its link Simara-Birgunj (34km) to connect with the Indian Railway Network in Birgunj. Similarly, the department is planning to complete the feasibility study of the underground and elevated railway system (75 km) in Kathmandu within a year.