Kathmandu, December 10
A high level Chinese team is in Nepal to discuss further the possibility of constructing a cross-border railway line.
The third meeting of a joint mechanism comprising top transport officials of both the countries is scheduled to begin in Kathmandu on Monday.
Sources say the meeting will finalise the modality of the detailed project report of the railway.
It has already been three months since a Chinese team published the report of preliminary feasibility study. No communication occurred since then.
Therefore, the meeting will resume the dialogue and make a concrete progress, it has been expected.
It has been learned that Nepal will propose that China prepare the DPR at its own cost. Beijing, however, is in favour of sharing the costs for the ambitious project.
The 14 member Chinese team landed in Kathmandu on Sunday.
The preliminary study has concluded that will cost around Rs 257 billion. Likewise, the project will take around nine years to complete.
The railway will be 72.25 kilometre long.
The study conducted by China Railway First Survey and Design Institute had further concluded that 98.55 per cent section of the railway would be covered by tunnels and bridges.
The Chinese government had covered all costs of the preliminary feasibility study that lasted for around one month.
