A Chinese company is set to carry out a feasibility study for construction of 171 long Kathmandu-Pokhara electric railway.

The Chinese CAMC Engineering Company Ltd representatives met with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar apprising the later of starting the feasibility study from Friday.

The Company pledged to submit the report of the feasibility study by three months, Ministry’s Foreign Division Chief Bishnu OM Bade told the National News Agency (RSS).

Feasibility study will be held on the railway to start from Kathmandu’s Tokha which will traverse Galchi-Kurintaar-Abukhaireni-Dumere-Damauli-Dhulgaunda areas to reach the scenic city of Pokhara. “The Chinese state-owned company will start the

feasibility study beginning Friday for 171-long railway with 61 km tunnels in 24 different locations; the railway will consist of 34 bridges and we will have to construct 16.8 km of bridges,” Rail Department Director General Ananta Acharya said.

The Ministry said the feasibility study will be held for three months after which the company and government will sign an agreement paper and then prepare a detailed project report.

The Chinese company itself will undertake the financial and technical investment for the study. On the occasion, DPM Gachhadar expressed the belief that the company would prepare a draft of a sustainable railway service development.

The current time taken to travel from Kathmandu to Pokhara is five and a half hour in commuter bus. Upon completion of the railway, travel time will shrink to 2 hours while the journey will be safe and environment friendly, claims the Department.