Chinese expert team arrives in Nepal for rail feasibility

KATHMANDU — Chinese experts arrived in Kathmandu on Tuesday for a feasibility study of the China-Nepal cross-border railway, a move described by the Nepali side as a new step for the project.

The six-member team was greeted at the airport by Wang Xin, charge d'affaires of the Chinese embassy, and Aman Chitrakar, spokesman for Nepal's Department of Railways.

"Chinese expert team has arrived for the feasibility study of the China-Nepal railway and we must say that we have taken a new step for our feasibility work," said Chitrakar.

"China has achieved progress in railways," he said. "And this project is definitely not easy for us, there are many technical challenges, but if we look at their expertise and technological advancement they have achieved so far, we're confident that this project will be successful, and Nepal and China will become more closer with the railway."

The feasibility study of the cross-border railway, which links the Chinese border town of Kerung with Kathmandu, shall be conducted by China Railway First Survey and Design Institute Group.

"As the first batch of experts, our arrival in Kathmandu marks new progress in the feasibility study project," said Feng Dequan, team leader of the feasibility study project.

Noting that the cross-border railway project crosses the Himalayas where terrain and geological conditions are extremely complex, Feng described it as a project with "world-class engineering difficulties".

"We will make full use of China's advanced technology and rich experience in building railways in difficult and complex mountainous and plateau areas, closely cooperate with top scientific research institutions in China and Nepal, and work together with Nepalese engineers to overcome difficulties and carry out the technical research work well for the project," Feng said.