Train delays by a month

DoR revises train procurement deadline, plans to buy two trains at Rs. 486.5m

Kathmandu, Mar. 21: Following the recent government decision to provide additional Rs. 350 million to the Department of Railway (DoR) and the Cabinet’s approval to go ahead to buy two trains, the DoR is planning to operate railway services in Kurtha-Jayanagar section within three months from now.

Earlier, it had said that the locomotives would arrive in Nepal by mid-May, but the deadline has been pushed to mid-June.

“The process to communicate with the Indian company, invite the proposal and evaluate it took more time than anticipated,” said Balram Mishra, Director General of the DoR.

The Cabinet meeting this week had given green signal to the DoR to procure two-sets of DEMU (Diesel Electric Multiple Unit) trains at the cost of Rs. 846.59 million from Indian government-owned Konkan Railway Corporation Limited.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) has confirmed the allocation of Rs. 350 million to the department. The department received the letter of confirmation a few days ago. Rs. 500 million had been allocated earlier for the train procurement.

The trains, with 5-car sets with double engines at both sides, are being procured through the government to government agreement between the two countries.

The department is planning to invite Konkan Railway officials for the purchase agreement and request them to send trains within two months although the company has proposed to provide the rails in three months.

“Our aim is to operate train services at the earliest, so we will apply every measure to make it happen,” said Mishra.

He said that a team of Railway Department would visit the factory to observe the products.

As there is no private company to make the trains in India, the government-run company generally takes about three months to make a locomotive that means Nepal is unlikely to receive the trains before that time.

Plan to revive Railway Company

Mishra said that the department has a plan to revive the Railway Company that used to operate rail service in the past, and use it as a human resource centre.

“Non-technical staff will be created in the country while the technical manpower will be brought from India with the trains,” he said.

Nepal has to procure the train from India as other countries do not produce the broad gauge rails. They are using narrow-gauge, standard gauge and other railway formats.

The Janakpur-Jayanagar Railway service was announced to be started in December 12 last year, but this could not happen due to the lack of train and trained manpower.

Earlier, the DoR was working to procure a train from India in a wet lease to run the service in the Janakpur-Jayanagar section, but it had changed the plan and decided to buy it instead.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 22 March 2019.