Officials of Nepal, India reach to launch joint study on operating railway service

Kathmandu, March 8 . A meeting of high ranking officials of Nepal and India on Friday reached a decision to form a joint technical team and launch a study on operating waterway service through various four routes.

The to be formed joint team having three officials each from both the countries, will carry out a study immediately on waterway in the Narayani River in Nepal, read a statement issued after the meeting.

The routes for the waterway mentioned in the statement are Sahebganj-Marihari, Panitanki-Kakadvitta, Haldiya-Baranasi-Sunaul-Bhairahawa, Kalughat-Balmikinagar and Gandak Barage -Sahebganj-Bhimnagar.

The meeting was attended by a 10-member high ranking government officials led by joint secretary of the Water and Energy Commission of Nepal Madheb Belbase from Nepalese side and an eight-member team led by Vice Chairperson of the Inland Waterways Authority of India Prabir Pandee from Indian side.

The efforts of both the countries to study railway service follow the agreement between Nepal and India to link railway struck during Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s official visit to India on April 6-8, 2018.

At the meeting, the Nepalese side expressed enquires about the possibilities to operate ships registered in Nepal along the route India is constructing in the Ganga river, to which the Indian side responded that it would inform after going through legal process in this regard. Rss