Nepali India agree to review railway service treaty

New Delhi, June 10: Nepal and India have agreed to review various agreements including the Railway Services Agreement.

A two-day meeting held on June 6 and 7 in New Delhi has paved the way for the amendment of the Railway services agreement and others to address some of the issues raised by Nepal.

Nabaraj Dhakal, joint secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, who was led the Nepali delegation, informed that the Indian government has agreed to allow Nepali rail and private Indian rail operators to transport Nepal-bound cargo from Visakhapatnam, Haldia and Kolkata ports to Nepal.

Moreover, the Indian authorities have also agreed to allow the transportation of bulk cargo to Biratnagar, Bhairahawa, Nepalgunj, Janakpur and Dhangadhi.

Likewise, Indian Railways has also pledged to provide necessary support in the construction and operation of the East-West electric railway and Kathmandu-Birgunj electric railway.

Moreover, the meeting also took a decision to allow Nepal to use other Indian sea ports closer to major customs points of western and far-western Nepal — Bhairahawa, Nepalgunj and Dhangadhi — for third-country trade. Ferrying Nepal-bound freight via inland waterways will also be included in transit treaty.