The ministry had called for EoIs on January 29. Those firms shortlisted are TERA International Group Incorporate (USA) in partnership with ERMC Pvt Ltd of Nepal, Rites Limited (India), Wilbur Smith Associates (USA) in association with EAEC Consult Pvt Ltd and Chungsuk Engineering Co Ltd in partnership with Korea Rail Network Authority of Korea.
Likewise, SMEC International Pvt Ltd (Australia) in association with DB International GmbH (Germany), BARSYL Ltd, India, and CEMAT Consultants Pvt Ltd (Nepal); and ITECO Nepal Pvt Ltd in association with Canarail Consultants Incorporate (Canada) and SYSTRA (France) have also been shortlisted.
“We have asked all the shortlisted firms to submit Request for Proposal (RFP) with financial details to conduct the feasibility study of the proposed railways and the final decision would to taken by June end,” Druba Regmi, joint secretary at the ministry, told Republica.
Responding to the call made by the government, a total of 19 global consultancies had submitted their EoIs for the study of the estimated 1,200 km Mechi-Mahakali and 200km Kathmandu-Pokhara electrical railway lines.
A pre-feasibility study conducted by an independent agency in 2006 has put the cost of East-West railway line at US$ 2.07 billion.
Through the budget for the current fiscal, the government has allocated Rs 150 million for the feasibility study of both the projects as well as widening and upgradation of Jainagar-Janakpur-Bardibas railway line.
Officials at the ministry said the feasibility study would commence from June and would complete within eight months.
RAILWAY AUTHORITY SUGGESTED
Meanwhile, experts and government officials, at an international symposium on Railway Development in Nepal, have suggested forming an independent authority to deal with railway development in the country.
“Development of railway in Nepal can´t go ahead without establishing an independent authority to oversee the issues related to railway in the country. So, we have to initiate preparations to set up such a body either as a government´s department or as an independent authority or as a company,” said Purna Kadaria, secretary at the ministry.
Nawaraj Khatiwada, general secretary of Nepal Development Research Institute, and Radha Krishna Pradhan, program director of National Planning Commission, also stressed the need to promote railways in different place through railway policy and human resource development within the country.
prabhakar@myrepublica.com
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