KATHMANDU, July 20: Following the government´s endorsement of the preliminary inception report of the metro railway in Kathmandu Valley, the consulting companies have completed the soil test, which shows how the rail track should be laid -- underground, on the surface or overhead -- in major areas including Ratnapark, Kalanki and Sinamangal. Traffic survey in major junctions inside the Valley, meanwhile, is in progress.
The companies, however, haven´t submitted the soil test results. “The consulting companies have only submitted interim report of the feasibility study,” an official at the Department of Railways (DoR) told Republica on Thursday.
“Soil test report and traffic survey report will come together.”
Korea Transport Institution, Chungsuk Engineering Company, Kunwa Consulting and Engineering Company, Korea Rail Network Authority and two local companies BDA Nepal Private Limited and EMRC Private Limited are conducting feasibility study of the project.
“The companies have to submit two interim reports before submitting the draft report of the feasibility study,” Rajeshwar Man Singh, superintendent engineer at the DoR said, confirming the progress. “They submitted the first interim report.”
According to Singh, the first interim report, however, doesn´t provide any conclusive result. “It is a kind of a progress report,” Singh said. “The second interim report gives the result of the soil test and statistics on traffic survey.”
The metro railway connects various locations in the valley via a 66-km track with 5 lines and 31 stations. A complete feasibility study report of the project is expected within the next six months. “Once the feasibility study report is ready then we can estimate the total cost of the metro railway,” Singh said.
The government has paid Rs 60.5 million to the firms to conduct the feasibility study. The government had approved the inception report last March and cleared the way to conduct the feasibility study for the companies.
The project requires technical precision and dedicated power system to ensure uninterrupted power supply and has been listed in the national pride project by the government.
The government last May handed over the project along with 13 other mega projects to the Investment Board.
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