The geological study for the Kerung-Kathmandu railway, supported by China’s technical and financial assistance, has entered its final phase.

The study spans three districts: Kathmandu, Nuwakot, and Rasuwa. Of the 80 planned drilling sites, 75 have been completed, with soil extraction carried out at 75 locations. According to officials from the Department of Railways, 90 percent of soil testing has been finished.

The samples collected include soil, rock, water, and stone from various points along the proposed railway route.

Kamal Kumar Sah, spokesperson and senior divisional engineer at the Department of Railways, said seven of the eight locations requiring deep drilling up to 400 metres have been completed.

Sah also said the samples are being analysed locally and in China for tests that cannot be conducted in Nepal. “Samples are being sent for tests that are not possible in Nepal,” Sah said. The study has faced occasional delays due to local resistance, particularly concerning land use. “In some cases, locals opposed the drilling on their land. However, all work has been strictly within the pre-designated route,” he said.

Further delays were encountered due to road access issues and landslides in the areas under investigation. Sah said these challenges have been resolved, and work is progressing smoothly.

The initial phase of the study took one year to complete. The Chinese technical team arrived in Nepal in December 2022 for the feasibility study and completed the first phase by the third week of January 2024. The entire study is expected to be completed within 42 months of its initiation, with 27 months already elapsed.

Sah expressed confidence that the study will be completed on time. As a feasibility study, it will determine the construction cost, timeline, and total length of the railway and the number of tunnels, bridges, and stations required. He claimed a detailed project report (DPR) would be created once the final report is prepared, and construction would proceed.

A senior engineer from the department said that the second phase of the work is nearing completion, with the final report set to be prepared in the last phase. The engineer said the study would be completed within the designated timeframe. The Department of Railways and its engineering team have assisted the Chinese technical team throughout the process.

The preliminary estimate for the construction of the railway is Rs271.36 billion. According to the initial study, the railway will span 72 kilometres from Rasuwagadhi to Kathmandu. A pre-feasibility study was conducted in November-December 2018, and during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Nepal in October 2019, an agreement was made to begin the feasibility study.

In March 2022, during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Nepal, a memorandum of understanding was signed to formalise the study. The pre-feasibility study addressed initial aspects, and the current phase will finalise crucial details regarding the distance, tunnels, cost, bridge heights, stations, and other key factors, according to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport. The ministry further said that the railway department and the ministry have been facilitating the study, assisting with challenges as they arise.